Kuja von Einzbern
by Quatermass
Summary: (Based on Gabriel Herrol's "Everything for My Family" challenge) He nearly died, but a certain meddling vampire extended his life, and left him with the von Einzberns on another world. Now, Kuja, alongside his wife Irisviel, and his Servant Arturia, intend to fight in the Fourth Holy Grail War. But the path to redemption is a long and bloody one, and the enemy won't make it easy...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

I generally don't do challenges, and yet, here I am, doing one. Well, not exactly. I'm more inspired by one than actually following one.

An author on this website that I am in correspondence with is Gabriel Herrol, whose works betray a number of intriguing ideas. One of their challenges ( _Everything for My Family_ ) was to have Harry Potter as the husband of Irisviel von Einzbern from _Fate/Zero_ , and thus the father of Illya. I considered doing a different type of Harry Potter crossover that took a few elements from that challenge (albeit with Harry, instead of being Illya's father and Irisviel's husband, becoming a big brother or uncle figure to Illya), and while that is still on the cards (as a middle of the road crossover to my other Harry Potter/Nasuverse stories, _Ex Umbra in Solem_ and _Perils of Magical Investigative Journalism_ ), I actually wanted to do the challenge…but instead of Harry Potter, I wanted to use another character from another franchise. After long consideration, I chose Kuja, the villain of _Final Fantasy IX_.

There's a few reasons for that. Firstly, there appears to be no marked crossovers between _Fate/Stay Night_ and _Final Fantasy IX_ on this website, despite most other games in the series crossing over, and I like to break new ground. Secondly, Kuja is one of the more complex villains in the _Final Fantasy_ games. I feel that, with the right push, he could become a better person, or at least a heroic figure by Nasuverse standards, which is filled with anti-heroes with strong moral ambiguity. This may seem insane, but hey, I never said I was sane.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both _Fate/Zero_ , and _Final Fantasy IX_ , especially the latter.

Secondly, there will be annotations, heavy annotations, and bellyachers will be treated with all due contempt.

Thirdly, for language, violence, dark concepts and sexual references, this is an M-rated work.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. _Final Fantasy IX_ and _Fate/Zero_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Kirei Kotomine may just turn you into a Black Key shish-kebab…


	2. Chapter 1: The Peacock, the Homunculus

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **THE PEACOCK, THE HOMUNCULUS, AND THE KING OF KNIGHTS**

 _The waiting was the most horrible part, he reflected. He had been bustled out by the Homunculus midwives (midwives! And in a place where the inhabitants were rarely born, but_ _ **made**_ _), and to tell the truth, he was glad of it. While he still enjoyed the sound of agony, it was very different coming from the woman he had fallen in love with. He had been in this castle for a year and a half now, a year and a half he would never had had, were it not for the amusement of a vampire. Now he had more time. Not immortal by any means, which was a pity, but Zelretch had managed to, if not restore the near-immortality Genomes had, then at least grant him decades if not centuries of life._

 _It threw the nature of his current relationship into sharp relief. He had made a mistake in falling in love, with a woman who was doomed to die in eight years, designed that way, just like Garland had designed him to die once Zidane had come into his own. The irony wasn't lost on him. The only consolation was that, perhaps, he may be able to bring her back. That, and perhaps he would have a legacy._

 _He had retired to his Workshop. It was better to wait until there actually was news, one way or another, and while he was waiting, he intended to use his time productively. He was working on an interesting problem designed to help maximise efficiency in the Homunculus production process. The von Einzberns were masters of the art, but even masters would recognise the perpetual necessity for improvement._

 _He was vivisecting one of the Homunculi that had been discarded (turning off her pain centres: he needed her awake to describe her experiences, and he wasn't that unnecessarily cruel anymore) when one of the Homunculi maids burst in. "Master Kuja? Your daughter has been successfully delivered!" she said, rather joyously. Kuja knew it was an act, though. Although some of the Homunculi actually were sentient, including Irisviel and the one he was vivisecting, most of them merely mimicked human emotion, if only to avoid falling into the Uncanny Valley._

 _Kuja nodded, before he said to the Homunculus he was vivisecting, "Please excuse me, my little bird. I will be back for you when time allows." With that, and a reassuring pat on the cheek, he set the life-support machinery to sleep mode, the Homunculus falling into unconsciousness, even with her body half-opened._

* * *

 _Kuja found it hard to look at them both as Iri reclined in the four poster bed. Only a year and a half ago, the very thought of having children was utterly unthinkable, absolute anathema, to him. Time had given him enough perspective to realise that he had acted childish (and that was a considerable understatement), and still did. He was not suitable parent material. And yet, he had been persuaded by his wife to impregnate her. He knew it was partly on the orders of the ruler of the family, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, an ancient Homunculus who was too much like Garland in appearance and demeanour for Kuja's liking. Old Man Acht, as he was often called informally by the rest of the family, was cold, pragmatic, and a big fan of back-up plans, like many Magi. Their child could become another Lesser Grail, in case Kuja failed to obtain the Grail in the upcoming Grail War._

 _It was Iri, dear Iri, who had worn him down. They had been lovers for some time, but she wanted a child. Even when she knew the truth about him, about what he did to Terra (blown it up) and Gaia (nearly did the same thing, caused a number of wars, etc), she believed in him, believed there was more to him than narcissism and theatricality and evil, even when he didn't._

Peace is but a shadow of death, desperate to forget its painful past...Though we hope for promising years. After shedding a thousand tears, yesterday's sorrow constantly nears. _Kuja thought of those words he spoke what felt like an eternity ago, shortly before unleashing Bahamut on Alexandria, in order to force Garnet into summoning Alexander. Now, more than ever, he was reminded of the trials to come, even if they were eight years away._

 _As he looked out the window, not willing to look at the wife he had to condemn to death in eight years, he heard Irisviel say, "Kuja, look. She's so cute. So small and delicate. I…I am glad I gave birth to her. Look, she has your eyes."_

 _Kuja sighed, and then went over to his wife. Irisviel von Einzbern, her almost inhumanly beautiful features framed by long white hair, crimson eyes looking like the epitome of beauty rather than anything sinister. Even while pregnant, she kept that beauty, and she looked none the worse for wear for having just given birth, save for a certain fatigue. She was holding a bundle in her arms, her daughter, his daughter,_ _ **their**_ _daughter. The baby opened her eyes briefly, and then shut them, sleeping. "Liar," Kuja said softly and affectionately. "Her eyes share with you a certain crimson hue. But her hair…" Yes, the hair was closer to Kuja's lavender coloured locks, and even had the same look of a feathery down. And there, protruding from the blanket, was the tip of a lavender-furred tail._

 _A lot of things could have gone wrong, combining the DNA of a human-based Homunculus and a Genome, which, in its own way, was like a Homunculus of Terran origin, only through genetic engineering. But his daughter…she was healthy-looking, a perfect hybrid, at least at first glance. He hoped that was the case._

 _Iri held the child out, and Kuja, reluctantly, took it. The baby snuggled a little closer. "…Will she ever forgive me for being your executioner?" Kuja mused._

 _"Kuja…she will understand, because that is our family's way. And I was designed to be that way. I am resigned to that fate, and if you can revive me with the Grail, then I will take advantage of that second chance. You have shown me the wonders and joys of life, and I am sure you will continue to do so, right up until the end."_

 _Kuja chuckled sadly. "You're too kind, Iri. You remind me of that Black Mage child, Vivi. Resigned to his fate, but trying to live regardless. At the time, I thought it sickening, laughable. Some part of me still does. You are perhaps the only person who believes that I have any virtue within me."_

 _"Our daughter will believe," Iri said solemnly. "And you bear the stigmata of one chosen by the Grail, Kuja. The Grail must find you worthy."_

 _Kuja couldn't see it, but he didn't need to. The blood-red tattoo-like symbol on his hand, like a stylised sword. Command Seals. A symbol of him being a chosen Master in the Holy Grail War, eight years hence. The ability to command an entity that could be even more powerful than he._

 _"I wish I shared your confidence. I am sure I can win the Grail War, Iri. It is more your confidence in me…" Kuja said quietly. It was only with her that he ever admitted such weakness. Where he let his mask drop. Some did catch a glimpse, but Iri was the only one privileged to see what lay beneath the mask. Perhaps Illya would grow to be the second. If she grew much at all beyond a child, given the modifications they did to her while she was still in the womb._

 _Then again, he had done more growing in the past little while than he had in the 24 years of his existence before then._

 _"Kuja…if you can't believe in your virtues, then allow me to," Iri said._

 _With that, Kuja knelt down next to the bed, next to Iri, and they held their child together. A family that would be sundered all too soon_ …

* * *

Eight years later, Kuja gently caressed the wedge of metal within the box. Gold, with blue patterning, and writing in an ancient language. "What a truly beautiful thing this is," Kuja murmured. "I have not seen the like of such a beautiful relic since my time on Gaia. Only you and our daughter surpass such things, Iri."

"Flatterer," Irisviel said with a smile. "Are you looking forward to this?"

"To a degree," Kuja said. "King Arthur himself sounds like a tiresome bore. They had people like him a Gil a dozen back on Gaia. But I suppose he must have considerable merit to be considered one of the strongest of the Heroic Spirits, and one of the best to embody the Saber class. And to be fair, I have met a number of interesting knights on Gaia. That loud and uncultured oaf Steiner's only redeeming feature was his skill with the blade and his loyalty to his princess, and the Pluto Knights weren't much better. General Beatrix and Lady Freya Crescent were considerably more interesting, as was Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley. I sincerely hope that Arthur is closer to Beatrix. She was certainly interesting."

Kuja looked over at his wife, and then took a vial from his robes. He frequently wore robes not dissimilar to those he wore on Gaia and Terra, the combination of robes open at the front, and a codpiece cum thong. He wore it partly because he enjoyed it (and so too did Iri, frankly), and partly because he knew it disturbed the von Einzberns.

As he began pouring the contents of the vial on the floor, drawing a ritual circle with the metallic liquid, he began murmuring the ritual. "For the origin, silver and steel. For the cornerstone, gem and the Archduke of Contracts. For the ancestor, my great master Schweinorg. The alighted wind becomes a wall. Close the gates in the four directions. From the crown, come forth. Trace the three-forked road leading to the kingdom. Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill. Repeat fivefold, and when each is filled, destroy it(1)."

"It's a rather simple ritual," Iri murmured.

"True, but according to Old Man Acht, the Grail itself does much of the work. I merely have to supply the mana. Ah, what a curious thing to be able to summon something myself in such a manner. So different to the Eidolons, and yet, still extremely potent." As he finished drawing the circle, he reflected about the Holy Grail War. A massive tournament between a septet of Magi and their entourage, all for a chance at the Holy Grail, a magical artifact of astonishing power, capable, supposedly, of granting a single wish to the victor.

They fought this proxy battle with Servants, familiars who were Heroic Spirits, heroes from the myth and history of Earth, the world he had been brought to. Snatched from the roots of the Iifa Tree, dying with it, only to be revived and revitalised by a certain meddling vampire, and then dropped at the von Einzbern castle without so much as a by-your-leave. It had taken considerable negotiation to avoid being vivisected, and some discourse and demonstration of his magic to be accepted, albeit tentatively, into the family. They had been considering accepting some brute of an assassin called Kiritsugu Emiya before then, to freshen the family blood and to act as their proxy in the coming Grail War.

Emiya, according to the von Einzbern spies within the Magus Association, was now a Master, hired by the Matous, the decrepit bloodline once known as the Makiris. The Makiris had another Master, a black sheep (or rather, white sheep) of the family called Kariya Matou, as a second Master to be their champion. They weren't the only Masters to be in alliance. It was all but certain that Tokiomi Tohsaka of the Tohsaka family had an alliance with Kirei Kotomine, a Master who was a member of the Holy Church, and whose father Risei was also the current Overseer. Technically, this was a blatant conflict of interest, but there was nothing in the rules against it, as it was unprecedented, and nothing could be proven.

Kuja, while he thought the technology of Earth was somewhat utilitarian and dull compared to the more elegant and beautiful technology of Terra, with little art to it, nonetheless used it to its full potential, even creating technology from it well in advance of this dull little civilisation. Then again, at least it was more advanced than Gaia. Magi tended not to use technology, more out of a conservative and elitist mindset than anything else. But Kuja used it. Magic and technology could be used very well together, and considering that Emiya, infamous as the Magus Killer, was known for using mundane technology to kill Magi, he would be remiss to dismiss such things, in case it was a threat. It was how he had discerned many things, including what he had discovered from the fledgling information network of this world. Other than pornography of quite a shocking and disturbing variety, but then again, some of the stuff he had seen in Terra's archives was as bad.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he finished the circle, double-checked it, and nodded. "Stand back, Iri," he said, before thrusting his palm out towards the circle, and pushing his mana into it. While his magic was very different to the magecraft of this world, he was able to still use magecraft, if he wished. As the circle began to glow with blue light, energy crackling around it, Kuja's voice rang out. " _Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning! I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world, that I shall defeat all evil in the world! Seventh Heaven clad, and the great words of power, come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of the Scales!_ "

The circle was consumed in a flare of actinic light, and wind battered at Kuja's robes. He blinked away the afterimage, and saw, wreathed in smoke, the Servant standing within. He blinked again. Was there some mistake?

The figure standing in the circle had a regal stance and a proud bearing. But it was a woman, dressed in a blue dress adorned with armoured plating. She appeared to be in her late teens, with beautiful, if somewhat stern and androngynous, features, green eyes looking at him. She had blonde hair done up in a bun.

"You have called, and I have answered your summons. I ask of you, are you my Master?" The tone was authoritative and eloquent. Understated strength was within each and every syllable. And he could sense her power.

Kuja blinked again, before he asked, "Are you King Arthur Pendragon, the King of Knights?"

"Aye. Your confusion is understandable. I was born Arturia Pendragon. I ask of you once more, are you my Master?"

Kuja, despite his confusion, smiled, holding up his hand with the Command Seals. "I, Kuja von Einzbern, am pleased that I am the Master of a Servant whose beauty is matched only by their strength. Well met, Arturia Pendragon. Well met indeed…"

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. I've sort of glossed over how Kuja came to the Nasuverse. Long story short, Zelretch happened…which is the** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **fanfic way of saying a wizard did it. Well, a Wizard Marshall did it, but you know what I mean.**

 **1\. The ritual, aside from the climactic incantation, is a hybrid of two sources: the** ** _Fate/Zero_** **manga, and Third Fang's fanfic** ** _From Fake Dreams_** **. Incidentally, the final incantation is from the English dub of the** ** _Fate/Zero_** **anime.**


	3. Chapter 2: Killers and Kings

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **KILLERS AND KINGS**

Kiritsugu Emiya was a troubled man, to say the least. He was a brutal pragmatist of a man, he would be the first to admit, and his fixation on the Grail and the wish it had offered had led him to sell his soul, almost literally, to debatably one of the vilest Magi alive today. Only Zouken Matou's influence and knowledge, along with his ability to hide the worst of his atrocities, had ensured he never got an Enforcer sent to his door. As it was, Kiritsugu was strongly considering using Origin Bullets to kill him. He didn't know whether they'd work on as tenacious a worm as Zouken Matou, but it didn't hurt to try. They were probably one of the only things that could kill him.

He felt pity for the man he was partnered with, Kariya, a white sheep of the family who demanded to be made a Master in order to save that former Tohsaka girl, now Sakura Matou. Kariya was now infested with Crest Worms. Their effect was bad enough on adults, but on children…Kiritsugu was disgusted at the thought of those things burrowing through and infesting Sakura Matou, violating a child of perhaps six years old at most like something out of the worst kind of hentai. Kariya had called his own family a blight on the world, and Kiritsugu was inclined to agree. In the privacy of his own head, anyway.

If he could, he intended to rescue Sakura on Kariya's behalf. The younger man was sick, even dying, thanks to the Crest Worms eating him alive. Gradually, but it was happening. It may be that he wouldn't last until the end of the Grail War. Then again, should Kiritsugu win the Grail, he might not need to.

However, of no small concern were the enemy Masters. Waver Velvet was not much of a threat, given that he was still a student from Clock Tower: the threat would come from his Servant. The other Masters were, however. There was Tokiomi Tohsaka, an expert in both Jewelcraft and fire magecraft. There was Kayneth Archibald, Lord El-Melloi and the ninth of his line, an expert in alchemy and summoning. But the other two were even more disturbing.

The first was Kuja von Einzbern. Although the name suggested he was part of the family, and his appearance was not unlike a Homunculus, Kuja meant in Hindi 'earth', though it was used to denote the planet Mars. It also sounded not unlike the Japanese for peacock, _kujaku_ , which perversely suited the man's flamboyant demeanour. It was certainly not a Germanic or Slavic name, like the von Einzberns favoured.

In the few photos Kiritsugu managed to obtain of the man, he saw cruel, effeminate features framed by locks of lavender hair that seemed almost feathery. Kuja vaguely reminded Kiritsugu of David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust period, or perhaps his role as Jareth the Goblin King from _Labyrinth_. He had made occasional visits to Clock Tower, and other places, usually those of cultural note. He patronised things like plays and operas and the occasional music concert. What capabilities he had as a Magus were kept under wraps by the von Einzberns, and there was virtually no concrete evidence of his identity or where he came from, but rumour had it that he had a variety of combat and healing magic that he could use with utter impunity. He was like a Caster Servant from the Age of Gods…which was why he was grateful that he had that very thing as his Servant. Kuja was very much an unknown quantity, and Kiritsugu would bet that he was the von Einzberns' trump card.

The only clue to his origins was that there were rumours that he knew Zelretch, and considering that the infamous gadfly of a Dead Apostle Ancestor was known for his mastery of Kaleidoscope, being able to look into parallel worlds, it was possible, albeit a remote possibility, that Kuja came from another world entirely. That was disturbing, and while a remote possibility, could not be wholly discounted. He certainly didn't look entirely human.

The other Master who disturbed him was Kirei Kotomine. He worked with the Holy Church, and his father was the Overseer of the current Grail War (and had been the prior Overseer). For a time, he had been an Executor, a form of assassin sent by the Church to kill rogue Magi who had drawn the Church's ire, along with heretics and even Dead Apostle Ancestors. But while he was currently part of the same wing of the Church as his father, one that dealt with ancient relics, the man's record seemed to indicate both a restlessness, and a disturbing ability to acquire skills and discard them with ease. He had a strange lack of passion for one who could learn so well with monstrous effort, a heart that seemed to be filled with anger and despair hidden from the world, and yet apparent through what Kiritsugu dug up with the help of his assistant and lover, Maiya Hisau. He was possibly in collaboration with Tokiomi Tohsaka.

Kiritsugu had made Ryuudou Temple the base of his operations in Fuyuki. He normally wouldn't have considered it, but the argument of his Servant helped matters. It was quite a strategically sound location, albeit rather remote, and it was one of the potential summoning sites of the Grail, with the only other sites, aside from an urban area, was the Tohsaka Mansion and the church where the Overseer resided. This location was good for his Servant to establish a territory, and he had to admit, it was a good choice, though hypnotising the monks here was something of a necessity.

His Servant entered the room as he checked the files on his laptop. "Master," she said quietly, her voice a confident purr. "I have witnessed something rather interesting occur."

Kiritsugu turned to face her. He didn't like this particular Caster, given her history, and he viewed her as a tool, something which doubtless rankled. But she was highly competent, and knew better than to bother him with trivial matters, or at least trivial matters that truly were trivial. Those little things that didn't add up, though, she brought to his attention. That was the main reason he deigned to even speak to her. "Well?"

"As you requested, I monitored key sites in the city with Miss Hisau's help. I happened to be observing the Tohsaka Mansion when I spied, quite by chance, what had to be Assassin. He appeared to be one of the Hassan-i Sabbah, though that is hardly surprising. What was surprising was that, as he attempted to disable the Bounded Fields around the mansion, he was attacked and swiftly killed by what had to be Tohsaka's Servant. Miss Hisau had a familiar with a camera attached in the area at the time, so we have a video recording you will doubtless wish to peruse. I believe that Tohsaka's Servant is an Archer, albeit an unorthodox one with a peculiar Noble Phantasm. It appeared to be opening portals in space and firing weapons, apparently Noble Phantasms themselves, from said portals. The Servant was dressed in golden armour, and he was haughty of both demeanour and speech, calling Assassin a worm not worthy to look upon him."

Kiritsugu nodded, his habitual frown deepening on his handsome, but stubble-marred face. "It was an ambush."

"Indeed. Tokiomi Tohsaka is either more paranoid than any of us thought, or else he knew Assassin was coming," Caster said. "I delayed speaking with you just in case, as I wished to see if any Masters went to the church where the Overseer resides. One did: Kirei Kotomine, it seems, is, or was, the Master of Assassin. Of course, this reeks of theatricality. Why risk exposing the true identity of one's Servant in such a manner? Familiars from other Masters were present."

Kiritsugu nodded again. He was annoyed that Caster took the initiative in delaying speaking to him, but as she was gathering intelligence to present to him in conjunction with this, he would allow it to slide. "Kirei Kotomine is possibly in collusion with Tokiomi Tohsaka. Caster, do you know of any Noble Phantasms offhand that would allow Assassin to cheat death, or fake it?"

"None specifically for any Assassins I know of. However, I believe Heracles, as a Berserker, has a Noble Phantasm that would allow him to survive up to 12 mortal attacks," Caster mused. "And each of the Hassan-i Sabbah, the Old Men of the Mountain who led the original Assassins, had their own special abilities."

"If they did fake Assassin's death, then it means they may be used now as scouts we aren't looking out for," Kiritsugu thought aloud. "Are you keeping surveillance on the church?"

"Yes. They have a Bounded Field that I can't penetrate without alerting them, but I am monitoring activity where I can," Caster said. "Should we notify Kariya Matou about this?"

"He'll have had his own familiars there. Once I've reviewed the footage Maiya obtained, I will contact him. Get back to your duties, Caster," Kiritsugu said.

Caster inclined her head, concealed by the hood of the robes she wore. Only her mouth and chin were visible, that, and the ends of blue hair. He knew the face beneath it, having seen her without her hood a couple of times. Her lips were faintly pursed in annoyance at his dismissal. "Very well, Master."

As she left, astralizing as she did so, Kiritsugu wondered if his Servant could be trusted, and not for the first time. While Casters suited his temperament, as would Assassins, this Caster was particularly strong-willed, and had a Noble Phantasm that worried him. Not because of what it could do to the enemy, but what it could do to him. And, there was Caster's true identity. He had to expect treachery. After all, she was known as the Witch of Betrayal…

* * *

Arturia wasn't sure what to make of her Master. Even leaving aside his bizarre, outlandish appearance (and clothing bordering on the indecent! Though he was at least wearing trousers today) and flamboyant manner, he seemed to be a mass of contradictions. At one moment, he could be theatrical and camp, while at another, he was somewhat solemn. There was something malevolent about him, and yet, he treated her with respect. Not the respect given by a noble to a queen, but rather, as if she was a member of his family. Which was odd, but strangely heartening. And she couldn't complain about the high mana supply.

The morning after her summoning, he had brought her into an office which he dubbed a briefing room, and had put up a board with an artistic rendition of the enemy Masters on it, along with at least two Servants. His lecturing style was surprisingly entertaining, like that of a mummer or a poet in her time. And it was informative too.

"Familiars the von Einzberns sent to monitor select areas in Fuyuki reported that a rather violent incident occurred at the Tohsaka Mansion last night," Kuja said. "A man in rather ostentatious golden armour attacked an Assassin attempting to dissolve the Bounded Fields. Due to the way he attacked, we believe that this man, presumably the Servant of Tokiomi Tohsaka, is an Archer. However, the whole affair stinks of greasepaint and cardboard(1). We believe that, as Assassin's Master is linked to Tohsaka, it may have been an attempt at deception. An intriguing one, true, but an ultimately futile one if that is the case."

"I see," Arturia said. "You believe Assassin is still alive."

"Possibly. Unfortunately, there are so many Heroic Spirits who may be summoned as Assassin, and even the distinctive if supremely gauche skull-mask of the Hassan-i Sabbah does not help narrow it down enough, as many of their abilities are obscure, and it may have been misdirection. Therefore, until we know better, we will be working under the assumption that Assassin still lives."

"How like an Assassin to skulk and hide in the shadows," Arturia said quietly.

Kuja merely smirked. "Arturia, I am very much like an Assassin myself. While you may adhere to your rather quaint codes of honour and chivalry, I am somewhat more of a pragmatist. If I can kill someone quickly, I will do so. Death is equal, whether on the bloody battlefield, or from the darkest of shadows, or in bed from age or ailment. The other Masters, particularly Kotomine and Emiya, will not share your qualms, if my analysis is correct." He noticed her growing annoyance with him, and said, holding a placating hand up, "Please do not mistake my words for a slight on your ability, Arturia. I trust in your ability to vanquish Servants quite efficiently. Rather, it is that I take a somewhat pragmatic and holistic approach. While I will not kill Masters unnecessarily, those who are the greatest threat, I will take out in whatever manner I see fit, whether it disagrees with your notions of honour and chivalry or not. Few Masters will be as noble as you are, and I do not intend to lose. I would prefer to make this clear from the outset, rather than deal with any major disagreements later. A strong relationship between us is built on trust and communication, and not, as some would think, on Command Seals."

Arturia bristled. That being said, Kuja had a point. While she detested being party to violations of chivalry and honour, she understood his reasoning at least. Though she got the impression that Kuja might be a man who enjoyed the sound of screaming, and that his sentence at the end was more rhetoric than substance. Kuja had the air of a man used to getting his own way, like a spoiled, petulant child.

That being said, he had a strange mixture of being kind and politic to her, as well as telling her fairly blunt truths. And she did feel, if not reassured, then at least a little grateful that he had told her from the outset of his rather more pragmatic approach.

Before they could continue, the door was opened, and Arturia watched as a little bundle in a dress flung itself at Kuja. "Daddy!" it squealed.

"Illya," Kuja said gently. "Didn't your mother tell you that I was briefing our new friend?"

The girl who had barged into the room pouted up at her father. "But I wanted to see her! I haven't seen a Heroic Spirit before!"

Kuja chuckled softly, and Arturia actually realised that there was a genuine undercurrent of paternal affection. In her short acquaintance with him, she knew that there seemed to be only one person he showed any genuine feelings to: Irisviel. It seemed that Illyasviel was another.

The girl appeared to be quite young, perhaps seven at most. Like her mother, she had pale skin and red eyes set in beautiful features, or at least quite cute ones. However, her hair had a vaguely feathery look and lavender colour, like her _pater familias_ , while protruding from beneath her skirt was a lavender-furred tail, like that of a monkey or a cat. When she grew up, Arturia believed that, in terms of looks, she would probably be a combination of the best of Kuja and Irisviel's looks. Though she had to wonder at the tail. Did she get it from her sire, and if so, where was he keeping it? The dark leather pants he wore (along with a poet's shirt(2)) left little to the imagination, and certainly few places to hide a tail comfortably.

As if discerning her thoughts, Kuja made a gesture, and a lavender-furred tail appeared, protruding from a now-apparent tailored hole in the back of his trousers, waving lazily. "I used to be ashamed of my heritage, Arturia, and I concealed my tail using a specific illusion. I conceal my tail out of habit now more than anything else."

"Your heritage," Arturia said. "And what is that?"

"In short, I was a Homunculus, of sorts. Not of von Einzbern stock, or indeed of human stock. You won't have heard of where I come from. It was a dying world, little more than a Dead Apostle of a planet before it reached a well-deserved end. The living inhabitants escaped, if you must know." Arturia didn't know it, but Kuja omitted the fact that he had put paid to Terra himself during what could only be described as a temper tantrum of literally world-shattering proportions.

"You come from another world?" Arturia asked, surprised.

"Indeed. Our magic system is somewhat different to what you know. Instead of Magic Circuits, we have a reservoir, a core if you will, that is replenished over time, or with appropriate medicine. Fortunately, it seems compatible with magecraft all the same. We also have a unique ability, albeit a rare one, known as Trance. Although I did not have the ability naturally before, I have since gained it. It grants me a boost of power and a transformation during times of duress, caused by a surge of emotion. While not unique to my world, I do not believe it exists here normally, or if it does, it is not known to Magi outside the von Einzberns. Illya here may be the very first being born on this world with the ability to use Trance."

"I see," Arturia mused. That would indeed make him a formidable foe. Her Master it seemed was a very dangerous man indeed. How dangerous, she didn't know, and that bothered her.

Then, Illya skipped over to her, and said, "Umm, King Arthur, ma'am? Can I…can I see Excalibur?"

Arturia smiled at the child, and found her instantly likeable. Her sire, though, was another matter. That disquiet wouldn't go away, even as Arturia showed Illya her famed sword, the Invisible Air dispelled. While she was his Servant, she had to wonder, why did Kuja desire the Holy Grail?

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **A scene with Kiritsugu, and a scene with Kuja and Arturia, from the latter's POV. And yes, Kiritsugu is Master of Caster/Medea. I like Medea, and I actually thought she would be interesting as an ally of Kiritsugu's. Kiritsugu is more willing to put up with her because her reputation is not one of a hero. He doesn't actually trust her per se, but they have enough synergy that there is a weird kind of pseudo-trust between them. That being said, Kiritsugu will be an antagonist in this story. Sympathetically, yes, but he will have a somewhat tragic fall from grace to contrast with Kuja's rise and redemption.**

 **1\. This particular phrase is a reference to Doctor No calling James Bond's bluff in the novel** ** _Doctor No_** **.**

 **2\. I'm pretty sure Jareth wears this ensemble in a scene in** ** _Labyrinth_** **.**


	4. Chapter 3: The Final Preparations

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **THE FINAL PREPARATIONS**

Kuja enjoyed flying, even through the cold air outside the castle. While he usually used a Silver Dragon on Gaia or Terra, the truth was that he could use his own magic to do so, and he certainly did so once he achieved Trance for the first time. It was a joy to teach Illya how to do the same, though only her Terran biology allowed her to do so.

Old Man Acht had ordered that Illya remain home while Kuja, Iri and Arturia went to Fuyuki. While the public reason was that Illya could be held hostage against them by enemy Masters, Kuja knew that Illya was actually being held hostage by the von Einzberns. If he failed to bring back the Grail, Kuja would never see his daughter again. At least in theory. In practise, Kuja had already prepared for that, giving Illya a pendant for her eighth birthday that contained a variation on Terran transporter technology. He had been inspired by an Earth fiction series revolving around a boy wizard called Harry Potter. The most recent book, _The Goblet of Fire_ , which had been released about six months ago(1), had the concept of Portkeys, something which he was inspired to create himself. He had told her what it did covertly in Old Terran, a language he had taught her, (Iri and, from after he summoned her, Arturia, were the only others to learn it), in case they needed to speak covertly. Illya, being of Magus stock, knew the importance of secrecy.

They flew around the castle, keeping within the Bounded Field so that they weren't seen by outsiders. In a way, Illya reminded him of that summoner girl, the rambunctious one, Eiko. That mixture of maturity and childishness, belying the power within, a power he had tried to take for his own. A pang of guilt was felt by him at the thought. Time and perspective had caused him to look back on many of his actions, and found them wanting. Even without the moral implications of his actions, there were simpler ways to go about it. And he should have investigated the power of Trance much sooner, given the sheer devastating power he attained. All those years of trying to obtain the Eidolons, and they were a waste. And while Kuja loved the theatrical and flamboyant, he was also a pragmatist, especially now.

"Daddy, there's Mummy and Arturia!" Illya called out to him, indicating Arturia practising with a sword near the castle, Iri looking on. Apparently the Servant needed to practise with her new body. She swirled and slashed, her swordplay having an elegant terpsichorean nature to it. Like a dance of death. Iri looked up, and waved, and Arturia looked up too. Kuja and Illya swooped in to land in front of the Saber Servant.

Arturia looked at them in what was probably not awe, but certainly some small bemusement and even a little interest. "Few Magi would have such an ability to fly at will," Arturia said. "Should you ever become a Heroic Spirit and be summoned for a Grail War, you would most definitely be a powerful Caster, perhaps an unconventional Assassin."

Kuja shrugged. "I doubt that I am virtuous enough to ascend to the Throne of Heroes, Arturia."

A faint smile touched her lips in agreement. She reminded him of a blend of Garnet, Beatrix, and Freya. She had the same sense of being burdened with responsibility as Garnet did, as well as the female warrior aspects of Beatrix and Freya. "Kuja, you said that you would demonstrate some of your combat magic before we left for Fuyuki. You said it was different to the magecraft of Earth."

"True. By the standards of my world, I am an expert at both what we called Black and White Magic. Black Magic is offensive magic, used either to inflict direct damage, or to inflict crippling conditions, what we called 'status effects', on foes. White Magic is generally healing or protective magic, but it includes a powerful offensive spell known as Holy, which I am able to use. In addition, I use a number of arcane spells little known to others." Kuja gestured, creating a small army of snowmen with magic. He then thrust out a hand. "THUNDAGA!" A bolt of lightning smashed into one snowman, destroying it. "BLIZZAGA!" A spear of ice impaled another. "FIRAGA!" A massive fireball melted a number of snowmen. "FLARE!" Energy coalesced around one snowman, before erupting into an explosion that seemed like a barely-contained sun. "HOLY!" Scintillating bolts of blue light smashed into another snowman. "FLARE STAR!" Bolts of orange energy surrounded the remaining snowmen, and smashed down, destroying them.

"Do Ultima! Do Ultima!" Illya cheered.

Kuja smiled indulgently, before reforming the snowmen. "I have to restrain myself, Arturia. Ultima is a spell of extraordinary power, the ultimate Black Magic spell. Fully-powered, I am sure it can rival the blast Excalibur could unleash."

Arturia raised an eyebrow, but she didn't dismiss the idea. Kuja could tell that his use of magic had impressed her somewhat, although she kept it restrained. Kuja gathered his energy, a sphere of magenta light enveloping him, before it spat into the air, and split into arrows of magenta energy that rained upon the snowmen. The snowmen were annihilated, a blizzard in miniature whipping at them.

Arturia looked at the resulting crater with a mixture of shock, horror, and perhaps some respect, for Kuja's skill if nothing else. Illya was cheering at the annihilation of the Evil Snowman Squad, while Iri was giggling. "And that is the spell at its weakest?" Arturia asked.

"Yes. At the strength I use in battle, evading it would only ensure painful and grievous injury rather than oblivion," Kuja said. "At full strength…well, it would be on a par with a nuclear weapon. It is my most powerful spell, but also my most taxing. As with Excalibur, it is a trump card to be saved for a rainy day. I have no doubt that Ultima can kill most Servants without collateral damage if I boost the power enough, but contain it to a certain area. Should I need to fight a Servant, rest assured that, even if I cannot kill them, I can certainly hold them at bay."

"It would depend on the Servant," Arturia mused. "Some Servants, including myself, have an innate high resistance to magic."

"True, that would help survive such an attack. We called resistance to magic back home 'Spirit', and there is no denying you have plenty of that. But even so, even if my target survived the attack, well, I am sure they would be regretting it."

"Daddy's so cool!" Illya chirped.

"No, that is merely the frigid air outside," Kuja quipped, making his daughter pout. He hauled her up, and sat her on his shoulders, her legs around his neck. _Still so small_ , he thought to himself. _Damn you, Acht, for modifying her! Hedging your bets. But I've had eight years to plan around that. If we do fail to obtain the Grail, I will make sure you cannot use her as the Lesser Grail!_

* * *

Kuja looked around his Workshop. He had since moved it (or at least his true Workshop) to a portable space that was significantly larger on the inside than outside. The Terrans made only some use of that technology, due to energy requirements, but magecraft helped make it stable on far less energy. Zelretch was one of the few he had confided in about it, during one of the vampire's visits, and he had congratulated Kuja on creating what was effectively a TARDIS without the time travel, something a few Magi had achieved as well. Kuja actually watched the videos the vampire gave him, and while the production values were a bit variable and the stories rather farfetched, he had to confess to enjoying _Doctor Who_. He was a bit bemused at that film Zelretch sent him, _Labyrinth_ , though, but he enjoyed some of the songs of David Bowie. Gaia's music scene would certainly be livened by rock and roll.

He was taking the true Workshop with him. He didn't trust Acht to not try to break in. Although Magi had a rule about entering Workshops of other Magi uninvited, the truth was that Magi also loved to break rules. He knew that Acht only trusted him so far, and when Kuja made the mistake of discussing Terra technology in soul transference and creating Genomes, Acht had begun to interrogate him. Apparently that was very much like one of the lost True Magics of this world, the Third Magic, Heaven's Feel. Not the limited version used by the Grail, but the materialisation of the soul. The von Einzberns had a limited ability to transfer souls, using their Mystic Code, the Dress of Heaven, but never to the degree that the Terrans could.

Kuja had managed to persuade Acht that he didn't know enough about the technology to be of help. All he knew was how to produce Homunculi like the Genomes or the Black Mages, not transfer souls. Acht had been sceptical, and even now, he believed Kuja had been lying.

Which he had been.

Oh, he was no expert like Garland, and he had much to learn. But he knew more of the theory than any other Genome, save perhaps for Mikoto, and he had only spoken to her briefly during his infiltration of Terra, having gained the ability to use Trance. That little bitch was his replacement (and Zidane's) during his exile from his homeworld, and he left her alive to witness the power he would use to destroy Garland. She probably got evacuated by Zidane back to Gaia when Kuja destroyed Terra, having learned of his mortality, and a death that was coming very soon. A death that Zelretch had postponed.

The upshot was that it was the specially engineered body of Irisviel that was transformed into the Grail, not her mind or soul. Those were merely displaced during the transformation. Which meant he had an interesting idea that might work…hopefully. Otherwise, he was sticking to his wish.

Arturia was helping him secure the various items in the Workshop. It gave him an opportunity to speak in private without Acht or his people overhearing. While she was a quick study in Old Terran, presumably due to her abilities as a Servant, she wasn't fluent yet, and so they needed to converse in English for this. "What did you wish to speak to me about, Kuja?"

"A number of things. You never told me what your wish for the Grail. Before I move onto more…weightier matters, I would like to know what that is. Consider it the idle curiosity of your Master."

Arturia considered this, before she said, "My most ardent desire is to return to the beginning of my reign, and start anew. I believe that I can do better with a second chance than I did with my first. Camelot died, and I will follow soon thereafter."

"You mean 'I followed', surely?" Kuja asked. Arturia winced, not because she used bad grammar…but because she had let something slip, he realised. Arturia hadn't been able to astralize since she was summoned, that is, assume a spiritual form to conserve mana consumption from Kuja.

After a moment, Arturia admitted, "I am summoned as I was in life, Kuja. It is part of the pact I made with the world itself."

Kuja frowned. He had heard of such pacts, and that meant… "Counter-Guardian?"

"I have not been summoned as such, but I believe it is not dissimilar. It may be partly due to my desire not to perish ere I obtain the Grail itself, a different Grail to the one my knights and I quested for, but it suffices."

Kuja pursed his lips in thought. "So, you intend to obtain the Grail to gain a second chance? There are worse wishes, Arturia. However, I am afraid you may need to consider a few facts. The first should be more worrying to you."

"And what is that?" Arturia asked.

Kuja, by way of a reply, held up the hand with his Command Seals. "Why do these exist? While the relationship between Servant and Master will not always be a fractious one, and the Command Seals have their uses in protecting Masters by summoning their Servants from afar, why have them?"

Arturia opened her mouth, only to realise he was asking a serious question. "Very well then. What is the answer?"

"It is true that the Grail can grant wishes with six of the seven Servants summoned vanquished," Kuja said. "But the wishes have to have certain limitations that can be affected by the world. However, Acht told me that in order for the Grail to reach its full potential, all seven Servants must perish." He tapped the Command Seals pointedly. "Only the founding families of the Grail War know this little secret."

Arturia caught on, her eyes wide with horror. "The Command Seals…a Master in the know must keep at least one if not more Command Seals in reserve, so that they may command their Servant to commit suicide."

"Indeed. Acht wants the Grail itself won for the von Einzberns. As long as you are the last remaining Servant, and I still your Master, he cares little for the details. Your essence will return to the Throne of Heroes, true, but I am sure you'd prefer not to have your Master order your own death."

"Why tell me this? It would be to your own advantage, Kuja, to keep this silent."

"Well, one reason was to see that exquisite expression shock on your mien. I may have mellowed since I came to this world, but I retain a sadistic streak," Kuja said with a smirk. The smirk then disappeared. "The second is that, in the interests of working together, we share information. Our chances of victory will only increase if our ability to cooperate does, even if true trust is beyond us. Thirdly, you are a truly beautiful thing, and I am a great connoisseur of beauty, and I will not squander such a thing. I know you do not think much of me, and with good reason. I am not a good person, despite what my beautiful wife and daughter believe. Indeed, the Magi of this world are in the nursery compared to one such as I."

"So, why do you desire the Grail?" Arturia said, her eyes narrowing. "Do you desire to use it to conquer the world?"

"Had you asked me before I came to this one, I would have agreed most ardently. However, I intend to use the wish should my plan to keep my wife alive fails. If it does not fail, then I will consider a different wish. But world conquest, I realised…'tis rather a gauche and petty little goal. I would imagine that there would be perpetual treachery seeking to overthrow one who rules the world, either for their own gain, or out of some misguided notion of morality. I am still considering what to wish for. Perhaps the restoration of my homeworld, though only in its prime, and only if it is within the capability of the Grail. I may rule over that with my family, but to use it to conquer this world would be rather boring and predictable."

"I see." Arturia digested this, before she asked, "What do you mean, if your plan to keep your wife alive fails?"

"Ah, yes. We come to a secret I intended to trust you with, Arturia." Kuja finished his work, before gesturing Arturia to follow him deeper into his Workshop. As they walked along causeways between benches crammed with apparatuses, Kuja said, "About a month after I arrived on this world, Iri was born, or rather, created. She is, as you know, a Homunculus, with the memories and biological age of an adult, but with no actual emotion or psyche. However, I changed that. I thought it a most grievous crime that such a beautiful being was so hollow inside, so I filled her with knowledge and culture. Within a few months, she was like she is now, a cheerful, gentle soul. I am surprised that my darker side has not influenced her, but perhaps she has an inner core of innocence that has never been corrupted. The von Einzberns may have created her body, but I have sculpted her heart and soul, and it was that that helped me heal from my own darkness. I found creation of such a beautiful being to be so much more satisfying than destruction. It was a revelation, Arturia. Unfortunately, she was destined to die. Not in the same way all living beings are supposedly meant to. She was engineered that way by the von Einzberns. And I found that repulsive, as I was once made in the same way."

"You were?"

"Yes. I was created to be an 'Angel of Death' by my creator, a man called Garland who is very much like Acht in many regards. However, Acht at least has a few redeeming features. Garland, however, meddled with my DNA. Genomes are immortal, but the genes granting that were tampered with. Even now, they have only been partially restored. I am still mortal, but I will live for possibly centuries. Garland made me mortal in order to control me, so that my successor would be able to replace me. Unfortunately, he told me this only after I had vanquished him. I didn't react well, as you may understand. Iri will suffer the same fate, but for a differing reason. Her body is the vessel for the Grail, a Lesser Grail, as Acht put it. A Homunculus that will transform into the Grail as Servants die."

Arturia looked at Kuja with more horror dancing in her eyes. "Iri will die…to become the Grail?"

"That was the original plan, and I had originally intended to use the Grail to revert that. And should we fail to retrieve the Grail, Acht is trying to make sure that Illya will take her place in the next Grail War. But then, I had an idea. Genomes were originally designed to house souls, and I was one of the few Genomes given a soul. So I thought…what if I could ensure that, even if Iri's body became the Grail, her mind and soul weren't lost in the process?" They had arrived at a massive cylindrical object. "To use an Earth term, I have cut the Gordian Knot. I believe this to be my masterpiece, Arturia. I only show you this, because I know honourbound people keep their word, and I want your vow of silence on this matter to anyone barring Iri."

"…You have it," Arturia said reluctantly. "You have my solemn pledge."

Kuja nodded, before activating a nearby control panel. A series of shutters swung open on the cylindrical object, revealing it to be a large tank, filled with a blue liquid. And it had an occupant.

He gazed at his work, his beautiful work. True, it was marred by the tubes entering the body in some intimate places, the wires monitoring its condition, and the mouth open in a semi-imbecilic gape, partly due to the breathable liquid it was immersed in. But the body was beautiful. The same buxom figure, the milk-white skin and snow-white hair. The red eyes were closed, though flickering beneath their lids. The thing Arturia would have noticed, aside from the resemblance to someone she knew, was the tail, covered in white fur, protruding from the body's callipygian derriere.

"Is that…Irisviel?" Arturia asked, torn between horror and wonder.

"Irisviel von Einzbern 2.0," Kuja said. "Her true body. I believe that I have done what these fools tried to have done for a long time, but I will be damned before I give it to them. Iri's original body may yet perish, but her mind and soul pilots it from this one. She has done so for a year now. In order to save my wife and daughter from their fate, this is what I have done."

After a moment, Arturia said, quietly, "I have misjudged you, Kuja. You have done much to safeguard your family."

"You haven't misjudged me that much, Arturia. But I will commit any number of sins to protect them. So, will you stand by me to obtain the Grail?"

"You are my Master, so I have little choice in the matter. But my regard of you is at least increasing, Kuja. You may trust in my sword."

"And you may trust in my magic." An odd thing for Kuja to say, at least sincerely. But he meant it. Arturia may be a tool, but she was a tool of such exquisite beauty, she needed to be treated with care, not to be discarded on a whim. With her help, Kuja would ensure that his family stayed together. And that was what mattered…

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **You like this little twist? One of the conditions of Gabriel Herrol's challenge (a recommendation rather than an outright requirement) was to have Iri survive. I wondered whether I was going to use the Grail for that, but partway through the chapter, I realised what it was. I kicked myself for not remembering the fundamental nature of the Genomes!**

 **For those of you who haven't played** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **, the Genomes are genetically engineered (it is implied by the name) beings who have no souls, and who are meant to be vessels for the sleeping souls of Terra. The only Genomes with souls are the main character, Zidane, Kuja (as mentioned earlier), and Mikoto. The other Genomes have no souls, though they act like robots for the most part. Able to speak, but they make Rei Ayanami look emotionally volatile by comparison. Garland, for those who are confused, is NOT a Genome, but closer to an android or cyborg, it's never made clear in the game.**

 **Souls can be removed from Genomes and placed into them, so I thought, why not have Kuja do this to Iri? It bypasses the whole 'Iri sacrificing herself to create the Grail' thing, because she is controlling her old body remotely. She may still get slightly tainted by Angra Mainyu (maybe in a similar manner to Sakura?), but not actually become it.**

 **I'm heartened at how popular this became with the first two chapters, too. Hopefully, this story will continue, at least up until the end of the events of** ** _Fate/Zero_** **.**

 **Review-answering time!** **jgkitarel** **: Regarding Kiritsugu, well, fair enough, but a lot of this story will be about his personal redemption. He is, perhaps even more than canon, obsessed with obtaining the Grail. It doesn't necessarily mean that he is evil, or that he will become evil. But he's gonna go through a lot more shit than Kuja does. Not that Kuja won't be going through a lot of shit either. Most of his character development, admittedly, has already happened offscreen for this story, but Angra Mainyu WILL taunt Kuja about the sins of his past.**

 **Dalkon Cledwin** **: The Uncanny Valley is a concept regarding the observation that, the closer to realistic something becomes, the more weird and unrealistic it appears. This is a factor in photorealistic CGI animation and robotics. Look it up on Wikipedia. I think that, while Zelretch may resemble Garland in some looks, he has far less of the demeanour. Kuja likes Zelretch better than Garland simply because he has a sense of humour. Acht, however, is a much better comparison, a cold-hearted pragmatist who is an artificial lifeform created to be the head of a group of people, and who will do anything to achieve his goals. Sounds a lot like Garland, doesn't it? Finally, Medea will stay loyal to Kiritsugu, if only because they have something of an understanding. She doesn't like it, but unlike her Master in** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, they have a certain synergy. She isn't actually loyal because she sees him as worthy of loyalty, but rather, she recognises that he can help her attain her goals. While Kiritsugu finds her initiative worrying, he values her ability and her intelligence. They have an understanding that they are using each other to attain their goals, so any actual treachery is unlikely. Kiritsugu detests conventional heroes, so working with a villain, if anything, is actually preferable to him.**

 **1\. While some works date the events of** ** _Fate/Zero_** **to 1994 (** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **being set in 2004, the year of its release), here, by necessity of this reference, it is set in late 2000.** ** _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_** **was released in mid-2000.**


	5. Chapter 4: Arrival in Fuyuki

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **ARRIVAL IN FUYUKI**

Kuja was no stranger to carnal delights. He had lost his virginity to a very expensive courtesan of Treno, and thanks to her, Kuja was more than ready to please his wife. By now, they knew each other's bodies extremely well, and knew what would please each other. And as they flew from Germany to Japan in a private jet, he and Iri joined the Mile High Club in the bedroom of the luxury jet. Arturia had declined to join for a _ménage à trois_ , despite the fact that it would boost her power. She seemed content to read the files Kuja had compiled on the other Masters. So husband and wife spent several hours joined in carnal delight. Soon, there would be no time for such things, so it was best to get it out of the way.

Once they had finished, had a sleep, a shower and a dressing later, they found Arturia reclined in a seat in the main passenger area, examining a file with a thoughtful look, dressed in a rather severe suit that actually looked quite good on her. She nodded in acknowledgement as they sat down on the chairs opposite her. "I have been studying the files. The new information is intriguing and disturbing. We don't know what original relic Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald obtained, due to the secrecy surrounding it. But because he had to get another relic in a hurry, your spies were able to find out what it was. The most likely possibility is a relic belonging to Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, or Diarmuid of the Love Spot. I believe he is able to be summoned as a Lancer or a Rider, with the former being the most likely by my reckoning. He can be summoned as a Saber, but I fill that role now."

"What are his Noble Phantasms?" Kuja asked. He wasn't familiar with Diarmuid.

"I cannot say for sure, but in all likelihood, he will have at least two. The Gáe Buidhe, a spear that inflicts a wound that can never heal properly, and the Gáe Dearg, a spear that negates magic. In truth, fighting one such as he is an intriguing prospect. Although he was noted for sleeping with the wife of his lord, he was coerced into doing so, and he is noted for his chivalry and honour in combat. What worries me is his Master. The reports claim that he is one of the more elitist Magi instructors in Clock Tower who humiliated Waver Velvet for daring to write a thesis about how effort can trump Magi lineage."

"He must be bad if he is elitist by Clock Tower standards," Iri mused. "That humiliation must have been the catalyst for Waver Velvet to steal the original relic."

"Waver Velvet may be a decent Magus, but I believe he is probably out of his depth," Kuja declared. "That being said, we must take care, given that he may have summoned a powerful Servant. Given that we have Saber, Kirei has Assassin, Tohsaka has a tentative Archer, and El-Melloi has a tentative Lancer, it may be a Rider, Caster, or Berserker. I would consider a Rider most likely. Berserkers tend to be very mana-hungry and thus rather dangerous for inexperienced Magi, and while I cannot be certain, a Caster would suit Kiritsugu Emiya's mindset."

"Kiritsugu Emiya was very nearly hired by the von Einzberns to be their Master," Iri pointed out. "He could have been your Master, Arturia."

Arturia scowled at the thought. "I am not sure how much I would have enjoyed that, but I doubt it would have been at all. While he appears to get results, there are times when he cares not for innocents. He brought down an entire airplane to kill his target."

"I read up on that, actually," Kuja said. "Apparently his mentor was trying to deal with a Dead Apostle, but in its dying moments, it released some sort of plague or infestation that, had the plane landed, it would have caused a disaster. That being said, he is one of our most dangerous opponents as far as the Masters are concerned. And you may well be correct in your assessment of which Servant is paired up to which Master. Which suggests the possibility that Kariya Matou is the Master of Berserker. Very well-reasoned, Arturia, though we cannot be certain about those."

"This is what worries me," Arturia said, tapping on the report with a gloved hand. "Kiritsugu Emiya has an unconventional Mystic Code, or rather, a set of them."

"You mean the Origin Bullets, correct?" Kuja asked. On Arturia's nod, Kuja explained to Iri, "One of his own trump cards is a set of special 'thirty-aught-six' rifle bullets containing powder from his own ribs. These bullets thus contain his magic origin. Getting this information from the Magus Association cost the von Einzberns a pretty Gil."

"Gil?" Arturia asked.

"The currency where I come from. You would say penny. In any case, this may not seem like much, until you realise the concepts his magic origin embody: 'Severance' and 'Binding'. When it encounters the magecraft of a Magus, well, the technical details will bore you, but it effectively causes a massive short-circuit in the Magic Circuits of the victim. The lucky ones die. The unlucky ones are crippled, unable to use magic due to their Magic Circuits burning out. He uses these rounds in a modified Thompson/Center Contender pistol. A single shot firearm, but he has never missed with an Origin Bullet to date. I do not intend to see if it would affect me. If he shows that weapon, then I will promptly take it from him via telekinesis, remove the bullet, destroy the gun, and dispose of the bullet with a normal fire rather than a Fire spell. He may have back-up weapons that can use those bullets. And he is known to use a number of firearms, explosive devices, and the like. In his own territory, he is very much like a Caster, only he uses mundane weaponry."

"There is another note here. He can use his Magic Crest, what little of it there is, to use time-altering magic," Arturia said.

"True, but it would strain the body using magecraft. Haste and Slow magic does no such thing," Kuja pointed out. "Would you like me to use such magic to help your chances of winning?"

"It depends on the opponent. For one as honourable as I, I would like to win on my own merits, though I would appreciate healing magic in support. But for less honourable opponents, I would."

Kuja nodded. "Excellent. Once we set foot in Fuyuki, we will be having a tour of the city. Until today, Iri has never left the von Einzbern Castle. I believe she wants to go sightseeing, as being in Fuyuki is something of a novelty for her. It is the duty of a husband to escort his wife, and as a knight, I would ask for your assistance, Arturia."

Arturia looked at Iri, before returning her gaze to him. "Very well. After this tour, we will head to our base of operations?"

"But of course. The von Einzberns have a castle at the outskirts of Fuyuki that will be our initial base. However, as the Grail War progresses, we will head to one of the four possible places where it may materialise. Two of them are wholly unsuitable, as one is where the church where the Overseer resides is, and the other is at the Tohsaka Mansion. It's possible that an enemy Master has claimed a base at one of the other two locations: either Ryuudou Temple, or a residential area within the city itself. Therefore, we will use familiars to scout out those two locations. Keep in mind that the other Masters will not be aware that Iri is the Lesser Grail, as it was a physical container in previous Grail Wars. But a few may consider the possibility. The Lesser Grail was always provided by the von Einzberns, after all. Therefore, Arturia, we need to be extra vigilant against blackguards who will wish to abduct my wife to have their wicked way with her."

"Like you did earlier?" Iri said wryly. Kuja chuckled.

Arturia sighed quietly in exasperation. "Very well."

"Anyway, we have a number of trump cards. When I demonstrated my magic, I failed to mention a magic ability that, while useful enough in its own right, may prove to be one of our greatest advantages for the Grail War. Scan is a spell used to discern the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy, even locate hidden enemies…but when I used it on you covertly, it named you as Arturia, with a class of Saber. I have a hunch that, if we use it on an enemy Servant, we can discern their true names and their abilities."

Arturia perked up at that. "A useful ability indeed, if your hunch is indeed correct. We had better prepare. We will be landing in Japan ere long…"

* * *

Kiritsugu entered the Workshop of his Servant. Caster was peering at a crystal ball, showing images of an airport. Her hood was down, revealing her features.

To those who saw her only with the hood up, they would have expected her to have a cruelly beautiful face. Kiritsugu himself had been surprised when he saw them. Rather than cruel (unless she was feeling that way), they were actually rather lugubrious, mournful. Elegant and regally beautiful features, framed by lavender hair, albeit of a slightly darker hue than Kuja's. Her eyes were blue, filled with sorrow much of the time, while her ears were pointed, in the manner of an elf.

Kiritsugu had to remind himself that this was Medea of Colchis, a woman so infamous, she became known as the Witch of Betrayal. He had to remind himself that she was a tool. A useful tool, one who worked with him well. But a tool all the same.

"Master," she said in acknowledgement of his presence. She indicated in the crystal ball. "I believe the von Einzbern Master has arrived, with something of an entourage."

Kiritsugu nodded, and walked over to the crystal, peering into it. A trio of figures were walking away from a private plane. There was Kuja, followed by a white-haired albino woman with red eyes, and a blonde-haired…girl? Young man? He put money on the former. She was dressed in a severe black suit.

The albino was probably a von Einzbern Homunculus. Apparently this was the wife, Irisviel, that his spies had heard of. But the other one…the Servant? If so, why wasn't she astralized?

"Caster, is that girl a Servant?" Kiritsugu asked.

"It's possible. She is a somewhat cute little one. I wonder which class she is. Berserker and myself are already accounted for, as is Assassin, and we think the Tohsakas have an Archer. That narrows it down to Saber, Rider, or Lancer. I would discern more, but since they disembarked, they are speaking mostly in another language."

"What language?"

Medea shrugged, waving her hand over the viewing crystal. The background noise of an airport filled the room, and he could hear them speaking. Kuja and the Homunculus were speaking it fluently, but the blonde was a little more hesitant in speaking it, as if she didn't know much. It wasn't English, Japanese, German, or any language that Kiritsugu had any acquaintance with. However, his ear caught one word that was repeated, one whenever Kuja or the Homunculus addressed the blonde.

 _Saber_.

"That Servant is a Saber," Kiritsugu said. "They're addressing her as Saber. Caster, can you devise a spell of some sort to decode their language?"

"I have already been working on it. I am also recording their conversation in case I can translate what they are saying. I doubt it will be of much use, as the use of a private language suggests they are already on guard against eavesdroppers. They will probably save saying anything truly important for private areas."

Part of Kiritsugu approved. It seemed that Kuja was cautious. Most Magi would blunder in, doing what was needed to keep the Grail War secret, along with the identities of their Servants, true, but they weren't as cautious as these three were being. You'd call it paranoid, but during something like the Grail War, there was no such thing.

He made the decision. "Caster, Maiya and I will meet up with Kariya to patrol tonight as planned. After that, once we have confirmed that Kayneth is in position, Maiya and I will deal with him according to the plan. With any luck, we will have one of the more dangerous Masters dead in a single attack."

"And what of the other Masters?"

"We'll use tonight for you to look at those who appear. If we can discern anything about their identities, trump cards, and the like, then I will consider having you use Rule Breaker on one. Assassin and Archer are not valid. We might not be able to detect the former enough for you to get close. And Archer seemed rather wilful and powerful. Berserker is out for obvious reasons. Therefore, we will be keeping an especial eye out for Saber, Lancer and Rider."

Medea smiled. Kiritsugu was somewhat wary, but if she played her role, then soon, the Emiya-Matou alliance would not have two Servants…but three!

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Kuja and Kiritsugu are talking strategy with their Servants. And yes, Kuja and Iri have a very healthy sex life. Well, as healthy as it can get, with a Homunculus designed to become an omnipotent magical artifact and a monkey-tailed David Bowie lookalike created to be a destroyer of worlds.**

 **Review-answering time!** **DocSlendy** **: I haven't decided yet.**

 **raynisia** **: Unlike my other** ** _Fate/Zero_** **stories so far, where the protagonist (either Harry Potter or Loki), Kuja will be more cordial and polite to Gilgamesh, albeit with a few hidden barbs when he thinks he can get away with it.**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: Please refrain from such a large review(s) again, even if you were reminding me of Medea's abilities. I may very well consider such a full-on fight between Kuja (in Trance form, naturally) and Medea, though, so keep an eye out. And it's only natural to feel shock that Kuja is acting more human.**

 **That being said, Kuja does need Mist to summon the Mistodons (just before summoning them for the first time, he points out that, while the Iifa Tree no longer produces Mist, it does pervade Gaia still in caves and the like), and there's no Mist on Earth. As for being immune to injury, keep in mind that Kuja seems to be injured evading Bahamut's blast on Silver Dragon, rather than being hit by Mega Flare directly. Kuja cannot use Magic Circuits, though, and his magic abilities are mostly derived from his own magic ability, though he has a better understanding of how Homunculi work than most of the von Einzbern family due to his research and his familiarity with how Genomes work.**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: Medea may yet get that happy ending. I'm considering whether to have Kiritsugu and Medea, unwillingly, fall in love, and Medea manages to get a proper body somehow. Still early days yet, though.**

 **Colt** **: Not going to happen. At the moment, there's no planned cameos or larger roles from any other** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **characters.**

 **No numbered annotations for this chapter.**


	6. Chapter 5: The Angel of Death and the

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE MAGUS KILLER**

Fuyuki City was moderately interesting, Kuja thought. Oh, it lacked some of the charm that Alexandria or Lindblum or Treno had, but it made up for it with modern amenities and technology, some of it beyond what anyone on Gaia managed to make. They had barely discovered steam power and electricity, and had only started inventing radios. Terra, at its height, had technology that surpassed anything Gaia had to offer, let alone Earth.

The air pollution was rather irritating. Really, they were still using _petroleum_ as the primary fuel for internal combustion engines! Kuja was glad of the von Einzberns living deep within a remote corner of Germany, if only because they were more isolated from such irritants. Though some of the cars, he had to admit, were well-designed, actually elegant for being the smoke-spewing annoyances that they were.

Of course, a lot of people looked askance at their appearances. Arturia attracted the least attention: while wearing a suit that made her gender a little harder to tell, she was also more conventional-looking, having the appearance of a blonde European woman. However, Irisviel's appearance was considerably more exotic, though it could be marked down as albinism. Kuja, however, was even more bizarre, at least by the paltry and mundane standards of these dullards. Oh, he refrained from wearing his preferred outfit of robes and a thong (though he tended to not wear that when Illya was around), but he reluctantly chose to wear a somewhat more staid suit. Well-tailored with the finest accessories, but rather subdued. He didn't want to give any hostile onlookers any clues that he was a Magus, unless their opponents had obtained photos. Iri's appearance would attract enough attention. But his hair and androgynous features still attracted attention.

They spoke in Old Terran for the most part, switching to Japanese when they needed to converse with the locals. And Kuja made sure that Iri enjoyed their time. If he was lucky, she would get all the time she needed to enjoy her life. Especially as Acht had denied her that.

He could also tell that Arturia was enjoying herself, albeit in a restrained way. Certainly, she was smiling. Not as broadly as Iri or himself, but Arturia was clearly enjoying herself in a way she rarely got to.

Kuja found himself glad at that. Normally, he would revel in the discomfort, nay, the torment of a would-be hero. And yet…his time with Iri had tempered such impulses. It had granted him, even unwillingly, empathy. And to be fair to her, Arturia had a hard and strife-filled life, even as King of the Britons. She was certainly a better monarch than that overindulgent cow Brahne. Something told Kuja that Arturia and Garnet would get along famously. Zidane…well, Arturia would probably slap him around for coming onto her. Besides, Arturia was meant to be his ally.

It was a shame that, win or lose the Grail War, Arturia would not stay around. Her wish for the Grail was to return to the time when she pulled out the Sword in the Stone, Caliburn, with prior knowledge of what happened, so that she may put things right. But if she lost…well, either way, Arturia would not be in their lives long. Which was a shame, given that she was a beautiful, regal girl.

Given Kuja's past, he was surprised (and so was she) that they were so compatible as Master and Servant. But perhaps it was because they were truthful with each other from the outset. Kuja viewed Arturia not as a Servant or a familiar, but as a bodyguard and soldier, and would be willing to let her fight against worthy opponents without unnecessary interference. Arturia, while she didn't like Kuja's insistence on what she thought of as dishonourable tactics, nonetheless recognised their necessity against the likes of Kiritsugu Emiya or Kirei Kotomine, and he had told her some things that the average Master would never risk telling their Servant. And he had entrusted her with one of his most vital secrets.

Every now and then, Kuja would send out discreet Scan spells, to see whether any Servants or Magi were in the vicinity, having used Arturia to calibrate it to Servants, and the von Einzberns to calibrate it to Magi. None that he could tell, save for those who had Magus potential, and the spell, for all its utility, had a limited range.

As the sun set, and after a meal at a restaurant, they headed down to a small waterfront park not far from the harbour. Iri, who had never been to the ocean, frolicked at the water's edge, in ankle deep water.

Kuja remembered his first encounter with the ocean, with a beach. It had been shortly after his exile, not long after he abducted Zidane and left him at Lindblum. He had journeyed to a beach near the Desert Palace out of boredom, and tried swimming. It had nearly ended up with him drowning, but he eventually acquired a taste for the occasional swim. All water on Terra was still, no bigger than lakes, not as dynamic, as full of life, as the ocean was.

" _How do you feel about the ocean, Saber?_ " Kuja asked in Old Terran, Arturia having managed to pick up enough to be reasonably fluent.

"… _Ambivalent_ ," Arturia said. " _I have to admit, I hated it to a degree, as invaders came from across the sea._ "

" _That's a shame_ ," Iri said, having replaced her shoes and coming back up to them.

" _It truly is_ ," Kuja said. " _On my homeworld, we didn't have oceans. Just still lakes, looking like mirrors. Beautiful in their own way, but Terra was a stagnant, dying world. The first time I saw an ocean on another world, it was something of a revelation. I had never seen so much water, and moving so violently. Like it was alive._ " He looked up into the skies, at the Moon reflecting off the water. " _On Gaia, there were two moons, one red, one blue. Earth seems the poorer with only one. I daresay that you would have done very well there, Saber._ "

" _So you've told me. You spoke of General Beatrix, and Lady Freya Crescent_ ," Arturia said. " _A shame I will never meet them._ " Suddenly, she tensed. " _Kuja, Irisviel…I sense a Servant down at the harbour area. They're deliberately advertising their presence._ "

" _Given that, perhaps they're one of the Servants who tend to fight face to face, like a Lancer or a Rider_ ," Irisviel said.

" _If it's Lancer, you may be getting your wish of fighting Diarmuid sooner than you thought, Saber_ ," Kuja remarked. " _And if it is Diarmuid, that may mean that Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald is there. I'll let you have your duel with Diarmuid if that is the case, but if Kayneth tries anything stupid, then he will pay for it promptly. We'll also have to consider the possibility of Assassin and Caster playing voyeur from the shadows, either performing reconnaissance for their Masters, or ready to strike. Finally, given Kiritsugu Emiya's modus operandi, we should be extra vigilant of any mundane weaponry in the area. A gun may not do much to a Servant, but the Magus Killer got his name for a reason, and would be a danger to enemy Masters. I will cast Protect and Shell spells on both Iri and I, along with Auto-Life, Haste and Regen. I will scout the area around the battlefield for any surprises, and deal with them accordingly._ "

* * *

As he got within range of a Scan spell, Kuja began casting it, while allowing Iri and Arturia to go after the Servant. It only had a limited range, sadly, at least when searching in a general area, searching in a sphere of a twenty metre radius. He could direct it and it would have a longer range, but he'd have to know where to cast it.

But there was something else Kuja had. He had a mind that was probably every bit as devious as Kiritsugu Emiya's own, and he liked to think that he could emulate something of how the man thought. So if he was here…

He would try a vertical placement, a perch of some kind. Perhaps that crane? Kuja sent a Scan spell that way, only to find an unexpected return. A Servant was there, Assassin. The Scan spell returned their name as _The Hundred-Faced Hassan_. Hmm…perhaps that name was related to the Noble Phantasm Assassin used to avoid death? Marvellous, he had to kill this Assassin multiple times to make it stick.

Then, he saw a space on between a couple of cargo containers at the top. On a whim, he cast a Scan spell at that, and gained another unexpected result, albeit a serendipitous one. _Kiritsugu Emiya_ , the Scan spell returned to his mind.

He rose into the air, slowly and carefully. He had to keep in mind that if Kiritsugu was the Master of Caster, then he or she might be monitoring the area. Kiritsugu or his associate (Maiya Hisau was a name frequently connected to the Magus Killer, so he guessed that she could be here) might also have spotted him splitting away from Iri and Arturia. Still, with any luck, he might have the element of surprise.

As it was, luck was on his side. He heard Kiritsugu speaking softly as Kuja approached the little nest between the cargo containers. "…sight of him? Then keep an eye on Assassin. I will deal with Kuja."

Kuja rose, and found a headset-wearing Kiritsugu looking around, only to whip that rather oversized sniper rifle of his to face Kuja. With a gesture, Kuja tore it from his hands telekinetically, and brought it over to him. Kuja removed the magazine, casually pocketing it. The gun, after Kuja removed the chambered round, was subjected to a Flare spell, which reduced it to charred fragments.

"A rather rude greeting," Kuja remarked, as if discussing the weather. "Allow me to make up for your shortcomings. I am Kuja von Einzbern. You are Kiritsugu Emiya. I suppose meeting like this is fate."

Kiritsugu, to his credit, didn't panic, though his eyes narrowed at Kuja's purple prose that sounded disturbingly like a romantic proposal. His handsome features were marred by stubble and a weariness to his eyes. "So…the rumours of you having magecraft not seen before are true," he said.

"You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment(1). Incidentally, you are aware that you are far from the only voyeur in the area?" Kuja looked around briefly, and spotted his quarry, perched on a crane, a black-cloaked, skull-masked figure, who was looking more at Arturia and Lancer. He nodded in that direction. "It seems that rumours of Assassin's demise were greatly exaggerated."

"My assistant spotted him," Kiritsugu said.

"Well, allow me to give you a demonstration of my power," Kuja said. He gathered as much power as he could, before unleashing a charged up Flare spell on Assassin. With an unearthly scream, the skull-masked Servant vanished in the glare of the powerful spell. Whether the Servant had retreated or died, Kuja didn't know, though he thought the former more likely. And even if he had died, he could turn up again.

"Impressive fireworks," Kiritsugu said.

"Why, thank you," Kuja said. "It's a good thing that your assistant is currently aiming at Assassin. If they dared aim at my wife and my beautiful Servant, I would be taking umbrage. And when I take umbrage, well, lethal results tend to follow. But your methods, while admirable in their pragmatism and their results, lack style, élan, elegance. You have already offended me. But that is not why you are going to die. You are a major threat to my family, one I cannot countenance. That in itself is a capital offence."

Kiritsugu had stood, and was reaching inside his jacket, when Kuja cast Flare Star. He had to admit that Kiritsugu had enough wit to dive out of the way, hopping from container to container, trying to get down to the ground as quickly as he could without injury. "Maiya! Withdraw and regroup!" Kiritsugu snapped into the headset he was wearing. "Caster! Evac! Maiya first!"

"Going somewhere?" Kuja said, flying after him. "Retreating is rather pragmatic when dealing with me…but it will avail you naught, Magus Killer. You only extend your life by seconds." An empty boast, Kuja knew, if Caster managed to evacuate Kiritsugu Emiya, but psychological warfare would help put breaks in Kiritsugu's mental armour.

Kiritsugu pulled out a submachine gun, and Kuja was forced to duck for cover. A hail of bullets would not be good even for Protect. But after Kiritsugu finished firing, Kuja ducked back out and fired off a Holy spell, blue scintillating arrows homing in on Kiritsugu. He managed to dive around the corner, but the explosion, as Kuja found out, sent him sprawling.

Kuja flew overhead, and found Kiritsugu sprawled on the ground, injured. Kuja held out a hand, ready to administer the coup de grace, when he sensed something was wrong. He turned to find someone else sharing the air with him, a woman in robes, a cloak now splayed out like a butterfly's wings. To further extend the lepidopteral metaphor, beautiful coloured circles of magical energy had formed over the cloak, and Kuja knew he had a mere split second to do something.

He had just enough time to cast Reflect before the first blasts were released, violet bolts of light. The first couple of attacks were reflected, but the third dissipated the Reflect barrier. Kuja had just enough time to dodge the further attacks, having just enough wit to send a Scan spell Caster's way.

And the results were astonishing. Kuja barely managed to avoid the blasts, before he landed on a shipping container nearby. Caster landed near Kiritsugu. Kuja stood over them both, smiling, especially as the name of the Servant stuck in his mind. "Take your Master and go, Medea of Colchis. But tell your Master that if he threatens the life of me and mine again…his is immediately forfeit."

It seemed that the revelation that he knew her true name (albeit thanks to Scan) threw her a little, but her lips pursed in annoyance. "When we meet again, Kuja, you will find your magic mere conjuring next to mine." She then disappeared with Kiritsugu in a swirl of robes.

Kuja sighed, before he suddenly heard the sound of thunder and lightning nearby. Near where Arturia was fighting. Well, it was past time he rejoined his wife, as he had dealt with some more immediate concerns. He just hoped things would be fine…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **I originally overpowered Scan in this, but I used restrictions this time. I also changed Kiritsugu's sniper perch to be closer to that of the manga adaptation than the anime, which seemed more interesting. I also wanted to have Kuja and Kiritsugu fight, along with a brief battle between Medea and Kuja. I therefore split the original version of this chapter into two parts.**

 **Review-answering time!** **jgkitarel** **: Probably not at first, but he will probably say something to Angra Mainyu like, "I once destroyed a world myself, and nearly destroyed the universe. Compared to that, you are petty by comparison."**

 **CelticMonk** **: Many status effects wear off over time, so think of it like that.**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: You know you copied a lot from jgkitarel's review, don't you? Don't copy other people's reviews.**

 **Dalkon Cledwin** **: Well, Kuja and Iri probably have a healthier, or at least more frequent, sex life than Kiristugu and Iri did. Probably because Kuja isn't as full of self-loathing. I think that, as much as Kiritsugu loved Iri in canon, he kept a distance from her at times, simply because she was going to die and become the Grail. Oh, he was intimate emotionally with her, but I don't think he was able to bring himself to be physically intimate as often as Kuja is.**

 **I know about the Denarii, but 'pretty penny' would presumably be some sort of slang the Grail gave Arturia. She'd at least know what a penny is.**

 **Kaiser Dragon : Do not make such suggestions. And no, I will not accept your challenge (though I do not remember which one it was, given that you and Kaiser Dragon, despite the fact that IT CLEARLY STATES ON MY PROFILE THAT I DO NOT TAKE SUGGESTIONS, have pestered me with them). It is wholly up to me whether to accept them, and I normally do not, with this story being an exception rather than the rule. Pester me too often, and I will remove your reviews whenever you post them.**

 **1\. The catchphrase of Francis Urquhart in the original British adaptation of** ** _House of Cards_** **.**


	7. Chapter 6: A Meeting of Servants and

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **A MEETING OF SERVANTS AND MASTERS**

Kuja flew over, and found that what had to be Rider had arrived. He cast Scan, and found that he was Iskandar, better known as Alexander the Great, and that his Master was someone called Waver Velvet. As he approached, he arrived in time to hear Iskandar make some bombastic offer to join his army to seek the Grail, standing in a massive chariot harnessed to a pair of oxen.

Iskandar turned out to be a massive burly bear of a man with red hair and a beard, with large muscles and an ever larger voice that put even Steiner at his loudest to shame. His Master was a weedy, dark-haired boy in his late teens at most, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Lancer, aka Diarmuid (according to Scan), was a rather beautiful-looking man in a bodysuit, wielding a pair of spears, the infamous love spot just underneath his right eye.

Kuja lowered himself to the ground in time to hear Diarmuid and Arturia refuse Iskandar's offer, with Arturia saying that she was the King of Britain, and refused to being Iskandar's vassal. Iskandar made the mistake of remarking on Arturia being a girl, drawing even more of her ire. She then noticed Kuja lowering himself to the ground. "Kuja! I heard the cacophony of your battle. Were you successful?"

"In one regard, no. I failed to kill Kiritsugu Emiya, who was very rudely looking at you through the scope of a sniper rifle," Kuja said mildly. "But I managed to ascertain the identity of his Caster Servant, and caused them both to flee the battlefield. Oh, and I charbroiled another Assassin. It seems that rumours of his death were grossly exaggerated."

Iskandar frowned. "You say that Assassin's demise was faked? I presume, given Saber's familiarity with you, that you are her Master rather than this fine young woman?"

"Indeed, but lust with your eyes only, or I will endeavour to sever your member, Rider, Heroic Spirit or not, and feed it to you," Kuja said with a vicious smile.

Iskandar's response was to roar with laughter. Diarmuid, rather sheepishly, admitted, "I do have a permanent charm spell on me. Well, a curse, one I can't stop. Your wife berated me for it when she nearly fell for it. Sorry, I can't literally help it."

"As long as you are contrite, and you didn't act on it, no apology is necessary," Kuja said with a smile. "Then again, you are Diarmuid of the Love Spot, are you not? Cursed to be attractive to women?"

"Aye, that I am," Diarmuid said.

"Which means that your Master is none other than Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald," Kuja said. "And yet, he hasn't joined the party. How discourteous of him."

A haughty voice rang out, making it impossible to tell where it originated, but Kuja could hear the disdain oozing from it. "I prefer to think of it as prudence, though you have what little gratitude I have to offer for forcing the Magus Killer to flee, and attacking Assassin, Kuja von Einzbern. We will duel as Magi should when the time comes. I have to admit, your Servant is indeed powerful. And I also must confess to being surprised at finding my wayward student present here. I thought he had merely been avaricious in stealing my relic. I never thought he had the resolve to join the Holy Grail War. Did my destruction of your thesis really anger you so much, Waver?"

Waver was cowering in fear. Kuja merely remarked, "From the reports we had from Clock Tower, it sounded like the petty actions of a petty little man, a conservative mind who does not like having his paradigm shaken. Incidentally, Saber, did you enjoy clashing with Diarmuid?"

"Aye, I did, until Rider intervened," Arturia said.

"A Grail War is not a place for fun," Kayneth's voice said. "It is a battlefield of blood and death. Oh dear me, I had hoped that Waver would find happiness in the peace and banality of a lower class Magus' life. But it seems you require an extracurricular lesson. I will indulge you, then. I will show you how true Magi do battle, of the fear and suffering and agony that brings."

Waver shivered, only to have a reassuring hand put on his shoulder by Iskandar. Meanwhile, Kuja said, "Oh my. I have heard and issued many threats in my life, and I have to say, yours is rather pedestrian, and wasted on one such as he. Dear me, I believe your Servant is more interesting than you are. At least he is rather beautiful for a man, and skilled with spears."

Iskandar roared with laughter. "Your jests are fine! And I believe that you have something my would-be Master lacks! Courage! You see this, Magus? You say you were to be my Master, but I find that a jest even more than anything Kuja could utter! My Master must be one of bravery and valour, and this boy, despite his fear, is riding with me! Kuja sallies forth to fight other Masters and Servants to secure the safety of his family. What do you do but skulk about in the shadows like a coward?"

Kuja didn't hear it, but he knew Kayneth was grinding his teeth in anger at Iskandar's insults. Then, Waver asked Kuja, timidly, "Wait, you're a guy?"

"It took you this long to realise?" Kuja asked, raising a lavender eyebrow. "And even if I was a woman, it's a free world."

"Amusing though this banter is," Iskandar said with a broad grin, "I think it is time that the others looking on revealed themselves. Saber, Lancer, your symphony of battle was truly magnificent, and it will have attracted more attention than I, unless you have dealt with them, Kuja?"

"I dealt with Assassin, and forced Caster, her Master and his assistant to flee," Kuja said. "I'd imagine Caster would be watching as we speak, but I doubt she's willing to show her face again." Kuja waved at the sky. "Good evening, my dear. Enjoying the show?"

* * *

At Ryuudou Temple, Medea snorted. "I believe I am," she murmured with a smirk.

Kiritsugu Emiya, meanwhile, wished he could kill Kuja with his gaze alone. The effeminate bastard had managed to attack him with magic that was above most magecraft. The only consolation from this was that they had ascertained the identities of three of the enemy Servants, as well as confirmation that Assassin was not dead.

Still, it was time to confuse things further, if only to ascertain some more of the abilities here. He pulled out his phone, and called a number. "Matou? Prepare to send in Berserker."

* * *

Iskandar roared with laughter again. "You are very entertaining! But there are others yet who skulk about. Hear me, Servants lurking like thieves in the shadows! Come forth, or suffer the scorn of Iskandar, King of Conquerors!"

Kuja sighed in annoyance. "Even if they do come forth, there are considerably more politic ways of doing so, Iskandar. Surely your conquests involved diplomacy as much as shouting at people?"

"Indeed. It seems that one of you curs has some nous, unlike the pretender to the title of king who offers me scorn unwisely."

Kuja turned in time to see a most extraordinary figure coalesce out of a flurry of golden particles, perched on a nearby lamppost. He was a tall man, dressed in shining gold armour that was, frankly, rather gauche and ostentatious. His demeanour reminded Kuja a little of himself, albeit with less theatricality and even more arrogance. His handsome features were set in a haughty sneer, his hair as gold as his armour, and his eyes red, with slitted pupils. This must be Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant, an Archer. He matched the description of the Servant the von Einzbern familiars spotted killing Assassin, or one of them.

Kuja bowed, believing it was the politic thing to do. "Ah, a shining, golden example of a Servant indeed," he purred, smirking inwardly at his puns. Bad puns, but he needed to be stealthy with his insults. He didn't want Iri or Arturia getting hurt.

He discreetly cast Scan, and was surprised by the result. This was Gilgamesh of Uruk! One of the oldest legends, and one of the most powerful Heroic Spirits, known as the King of Heroes. No wonder he considered others pretenders.

And then, Iskandar had to open his damned mouth. "Forgive me for asking, but why call us pretenders to the title of kingship? I introduced myself as the King of Conquerors, which is nothing more than truth, so why do you claim us as pretenders?"

"You dare question me?" Gilgamesh sneered, the light he was standing on suddenly cracking.

"He merely wishes for clarification," Kuja said, trying to smooth things over. "It is no crime to profess ignorance, nor to wish to rectify it."

"I beg to differ," Gilgamesh said. "If he cannot recognise me based on my majesty, then this mongrel does not deserve to know my name!"

Kuja swore inwardly, especially as the air behind Gilgamesh began to ripple and glow, a pair of distortions disgorging a weapon apiece. They both looked like Noble Phantasms. What he wouldn't give for some sort of _deus ex machina_. But wait, wasn't Berserker around?

As if summoned by the very thought, there was a blast of black mist, and a dark figure emerged. It appeared to be a knight in full armour, black as night, with a strange grainy effect as if in a film. Dark mist seemed to surround it, while the visor of the helmet had a sinister red glare. Rather gauche, Kuja thought, but there was a sense of raw power here. Yes, Berserker was here, like some sort of _deus ex machina_.

Kuja backed away, until he was closer to Iri and Arturia. He cast Scan, only to frown. No name came back, just the class. Berserker. The strange mist surrounding it was obscuring its attributes, he realised.

Berserker, however, had taken to staring unnervingly at Gilgamesh, who sneered. "Blight me with your gaze, rabid mongrel?" he demanded, the ripples in the air (and with them, the weapons) turning to face Berserker. "For that, you will give me some small entertainment in your demise!"

Kuja stared at what happened when the weapons spat out at blinding speed. Even with Genome eyes, it was almost too fast to witness. But Berserker snatched one weapon, a sword, and used it to destroy another, a spear, causing a small explosion. What followed was a surprisingly elegant display with Berserker snatching weapons out of the air as fast as Gilgamesh could fire them from an ever-increasing number of ripples, and using them to deflect other projectiles, or throw at its enemy. The destruction of the lamppost that Gilgamesh was perched on frustrated the Archer Servant no end. As he landed, he snarled, "I belong in the heavens, and yet, you will have me stand on the same base earth as you?!"

But as more ripples appeared, Gilgamesh flinched. "You dare to order me, Tohsaka?! I am not your pet dog. Damnation, this isn't over! Cull your numbers before we next meet!" With that, he dissolved into a flurry of golden particles.

But the threat wasn't over. Berserker was staring at Arturia in a way Kuja didn't like. Suddenly, it convulsed and roared, tassels or tendrils breaking out of its back, before charging at Arturia, snatching up part of the sliced-up lamppost as a makeshift lance.

"BLIZZAGA!" Kuja roared, and a spike of ice nearly impaled Berserker, only for the dark knight to smash the spike aside with its makeshift lance. It ran over to Arturia and slammed the pole down, hitting Excalibur.

"SERAPHIC STAR!" Kuja yelled, gesturing, and the powerful spell sent the Berserker flying into a stack of cargo containers, getting buried under them with a roar of pain. Or annoyance. Either way was fine.

"I don't know what's more intriguing," Iskandar remarked. "Your magic, Kuja, or Berserker's ability. He can turn whatever he holds into a Noble Phantasm."

It _would_ have been intriguing, had Berserker not been targeting Arturia. Instead, it was frightening. It meant that any object he could turn into a weapon could be able to hit Excalibur. And Berserker had emerged from the cargo containers, roaring. However, once more, it charged at Arturia.

Why was that? Why did Berserker, after being attacked twice over by Kuja, target Arturia instead? Surely Berserker would believe that Kuja was a softer target?

Unless…a knight in armour…perhaps Berserker was someone from Arthurian myth?

He nearly missed Diarmuid going to Arturia's aid, blocking Berserker's attack. "Enough of you. Saber and I have a prior engagement."

"Lancer, don't be an imbecile. This is a perfect opportunity to work with Berserker to slay Saber!" Kayneth snapped.

Kuja began sending Scan spells at the roofs of nearby warehouses, while Diarmuid yelled, "I will vanquish her, my Lord, and with great pride too! But I wish to have a fair duel with her, so I wish to slay this rabid dog first!"

Kuja finally found Kayneth, as Kayneth said, "You fool, Lancer. You forget who is the Master here. By my Command…GAH!"

Why did he yelp partway through this? It was because Kuja used his telekinesis to yank Kayneth off the roof he was perched on, sending him flying through the air, and stopped him, hovering above the Servants. "Either allow him to rescue you, or I will show you the gravity of your situation," Kuja said. "Your choice, Lord El-Melloi. Oh, and incidentally…HOLY!"

Blue bolts of energy smashed into Berserker, sending it flying with a roar. Diarmuid leapt into the air and snatched Kayneth from his untenable position. "Forgive me for forcing you to delay your duel with Saber, Lancer. Your Master has offended me deeply. I am only sparing his miserable hide because Saber wishes to fight you on a level field, and I do not mind indulging her," Kuja said. "It is not your fault, but rather, his own. Tell him that, should he wish to do battle in person, I am willing and ready to turn him into a greasy stain upon the ground."

After a moment, Kayneth said, "Lancer, we must escape, now. Let Berserker deal with these cretins." When Diarmuid protested, Kayneth snapped, "I _will_ use a Command Seal if you don't obey."

With a sigh, Diarmuid said, "Yes Master. Forgive me, King of Knights, for my unwilling withdrawal. May we meet on the battlefield again ere long." With that, he picked up his Master, and dashed into the night.

Berserker crawled out from underneath the shipping containers, only to subside, disappearing in a cloud of dark mist. Kayneth and Diarmuid had withdrawn for nothing. Iskandar then said, "Saber, I will not fight you until you and Lancer have concluded your business. Anyway, boy?" He then noticed that Waver was, at best, semiconscious. "Ah, over-excitement. A common malady of the young. Goodbye! We shall meet again!" And with that, he rode his chariot into the skies.

Kuja went over to Arturia. "You aren't hurt?"

"Lancer managed to use his magic-negating spear to bypass my magical armour," Arturia said. "However, I managed to avoid being hit by the other spear. He very nearly severed a tendon in my hand, otherwise. Irisviel healed my wounds."

"Excellent. Tonight has been most profitable." Switching to Old Terran, he said, " _We know the identity of most of the Servants, barring Berserker, and we know some of its abilities. I have either killed or driven off Assassin, confirming that he has some ability allowing him to cheat death, so we'll have to keep an eye out. Well, let us go home, shall we?_ "

He fished out a jewel, which the other two held onto. Then, in a flare of light, they were gone, leaving the dock area quiet, scarred by the battles that had just taken place…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Kuja's put the fear of Kuja into Kiritsugu Emiya, and managed to drive off Berserker. The latter, incidentally, wasn't because Kuja was strong enough to actually do him much harm, but because he got buried under shipping containers in the process. By the time he got out, Kariya was starting to feel the side effects of keeping him deastralized, and so brought him back.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Mangahero18** **: Yes, flamboyant and/or camp villains can be very unsettling if done right. Ghirahim and Kuja are just two examples. Unfortunately, too frequently (Soldeed from** ** _Doctor Who: The Horns of Nimon_** **,** ** _I am looking at you!_** **), they can fall flat.**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: Regarding Reflect: in this story, the blasts didn't reflect directly back at her, partly due to Earth and Gaian/Terran magic interacting.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	8. Chapter 7: Post-Mortem

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **POST-MORTEM**

Kiritsugu watched as Kariya Matou grunted in pain, Medea using a healing spell on him. He wished he could be dispassionate about the fate of his fellow Master, but the truth was, he felt sorry for Kariya. The young man looked to be at death's door, his body wasting away, half of it paralysed, vein-like markings on the left side of his face betraying where some of the Crest Worms had burrowed, his left eye milky, white, and almost wholly blind. His hair, once black, was now wholly white.

"Dammit," Kariya muttered. "I didn't think Berserker would react like that. I mean, I know he's got issues with Saber…"

"It's hardly surprising," Medea remarked. "He _is_ Sir Lancelot, after all. But I agree, Berserker should have retreated once Archer left the scene. Instead, he acted on his impulses. Then again, that is the drawback of Mad Enhancement. Impulses are all that's left in a Berserker's mind."

"Kuja's attack on Berserker, did it really do much damage?" Kiritsugu asked.

"No, it was the subsequent collapse of the containers on Berserker while he was caught by surprise. That weakened him enough so that the follow-up spells did more damage than they should have, and Berserker finally listened to your commands," Medea said. "The spell itself was still powerful, though. Kuja has thus demonstrated the ability to fly, to use telekinesis, and to use magic not seen on this world, at least not since the Age of the Gods."

"Given the rumours of past association with Zelretch, we may have to consider the possibility, even if it's a ridiculous and remote one, that he is not of this world," Kiritsugu said.

Maiya nodded. "Our failure in stopping any of the other Masters aside, we have gained valuable intelligence on the other Servants. And of Kuja. He somehow was able to tell Caster's name."

"He was casting a spell at me," Medea said. "As it didn't have any offensive ability I could tell, I paid it no heed. It seemed I made a mistake. It must have been some sort of scrying spell. But his magic is certainly not anything I have seen. It is different, very much so."

Kiritsugu scowled, but said, "Kuja von Einzbern may have to be avoided for the time being. To attack him in his home base will be troublesome. Better to find softer targets. At least we have confirmed Assassin's survival, and his attack may not have killed Assassin. We will therefore have to be careful. Caster, how is he?"

"In a bad way, even with my magic. All I can do is postpone the inevitable," Medea said as she finished with her spell. "However, that being said, my magic can do more than most nowadays. The Crest Worms and the damage they caused are the complicating factors more than anything else."

"I'm right here, you know," Kariya said wryly. "And it's fine, I was resigned to my death when I started this training. As long as Sakura gets out of that damned home…thanks, Caster. I'm grateful."

His shaky, pained smile was met with a surprisingly warm one from Medea. Kiritsugu cleared his throat pointedly, before noting down on a piece of paper a number of names. "Thanks to the idiocy of the Servants, we have confirmed names for no less than three of them, as well as who their Masters are. Rider, Servant of Waver Velvet, is Iskandar, aka Alexander the Great of Macedon. Saber, Servant of Kuja von Einzbern, is Arturia Pendragon, aka King Arthur. And Lancer, Servant of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, aka Diarmuid of the Love Spot."

"The fact that Assassin has a 'get out of death free' card must narrow it down, especially as he seems to be one of the Hassan-i Sabbah," Kariya muttered. He then grinned painfully. "That Archer of Tohsaka's though…I think that's the best bit of luck I've had. That arrogant bastard's Noble Phantasm is countered by Berserker's Knight of Honour Noble Phantasm."

"True, but as good as Berserker's abilities are, there are three overriding concerns," Kiritsugu said. "Archer may unleash more Noble Phantasms than Berserker can steal to use himself or evade. And there's the strain of maintaining him during combat, Matou."

"You mentioned a third concern," Maiya pointed out.

"Yes. Berserker's reaction to Saber. Saber, if she's in the same vicinity as Archer, may distract Berserker."

"Or Saber's just near Berserker," Kariya grunted, sitting up. "Fucking Zouken, having me summon a Berserker of all Servants. And one who has a link to King fucking Arthur. I don't know who's laughing at me more, Zouken, or Gaia."

"Zouken, in all likelihood. I don't think Gaia has much of a sense of humour," Medea said. "Alaya, on the other hand…"

"Enough," Kiritsugu said. "We're going to concentrate on trying to ensure that the other Masters fight each other. Between Caster's abilities and Berserker's For Someone's Glory Noble Phantasm, we may be able to sow discord and cause them to fight each other even more. We can't afford to let Berserker anywhere near Saber again, at least not until the endgame. We need you alive, Kariya, for as long as possible."

Kariya chuckled painfully. "Nice to actually feel wanted, even by an infamous assassin. Are you still gonna blow up that hotel where Lord Yellow-Mellow is staying?"

Kiritsugu couldn't help but chuckle at the insulting name for Kayneth, and even the usually stoic Maiya smirked briefly. "Of course. Maiya set it up before we headed to the docks, and thanks to Medea, the explosives won't be found. We'll just need to head there, force an evacuation of the other guests, and make Lord El-Melloi think we wish to battle in the hotel itself. Only…"

"Kaboom," Kariya said deadpan, chuckling sardonically. "He won't see that coming. Just be careful, though. I heard Lord Elroy Jetson has a lot of Mystic Codes, and he might be able to use them to stop him from dying in the explosion. He's an arrogant fool, but he's not a complete idiot, he wouldn't go into enemy territory without some preparation. And between Kuja and Kirei Kotomine, we've got too many damn wild cards in this Grail War."

Kiristugu nodded. To tell the truth, both frightened him. Kuja von Einzbern was a flamboyant, sadistic man, but his power was real, and even greater than most Magi, at the very least. What was more, he didn't rely on his magic to avoid mundane weapons, instead dodging, which would mean Kiritsugu would find it hard to hit Kuja with an Origin Bullet. Perhaps Kuja had learned of Kiritsugu's Origin Bullets, or perhaps his magic wasn't as effective against mundane weaponry, and he was prudent to avoid bullets. Kuja had also disarmed him of his gun the moment Kuja had revealed himself, and had even used a spell that had managed to deflect a few blasts of Medea's Rain of Light, even though the power was dialled down enough to avoid collateral damage.

On the other hand, there was something about Kirei Kotomine that had Kiritsugu on edge. Kuja was at least a known quantity to some degree. Powerful, yes, but he was also flamboyant, and Kiritsugu had a better handle on the man now. But Kirei Kotomine frightened Kiritsugu, partly because Kiritsugu saw something empty in Kirei, something that might draw the two together. And Kiritsugu was afraid that Kirei may be his greatest opponent because of that…

* * *

"So, we know the identities of every Servant, barring Berserker, and we have confirmed their Masters, for the most part," Kuja mused as they sat around a table at the Einzbern Castle. "Lancer is Diarmuid of the Love Spot, and his Master is Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. Rider is Iskandar, and his Master is Waver Velvet. Archer is Gilgamesh of Uruk, and his Master is presumably Tokiomi Tohsaka. Assassin is the Hundred-Faced Hassan, and Kirei Kotomine is his Master. Caster is Medea of Colchis, and her Master is Kiritsugu Emiya. Given what the spies of the von Einzbern family found, we should proceed with the assumption, at least until we know otherwise, that Kariya Matou is the Master of Berserker. I also believe, given Berserker's reaction to you, Arturia, that he or she is someone you knew in life, or else he or she believes you to be a mortal enemy."

Arturia, perturbed, said, "Only one possibility springs to mind, but I do not think it possible. The only mortal enemy that would manifest as a Berserker that I know of would be Mordred, my bastard son…or daughter, rather. Mordred always thought of herself as a man, even more than I did, and her viciousness in battle was extraordinary. But that armour…while shorn of most characteristics, did not appear to resemble the armour Mordred wore. Even so…there is something horribly familiar. I do believe Berserker knew me in life. He attacked me knowing the length of Excalibur, even with Invisible Air shrouding it."

"Something we will need to consider," Kuja said. "All of the Servants summoned appear to be of high standards. However, I noticed that Gilgamesh did not seem very obedient when dealing with his Master. The way he spoke suggested a Command Seal was used."

"He is one of the first myths, and his haughtiness and arrogance is partially due to that," Irisviel mused. "But his power was very real. Only Berserker's unique abilities allowed him to counter that. He can also improvise weaponry and turn them into Noble Phantasms. If you do have to fight him again, Arturia, you will have to watch out for that."

Arturia nodded, though she seemed perturbed at the thought. "So, what do we intend to do next?"

"Our enemies will come to us," Kuja said. "Kayneth already said he would duel me as a Magus when the time comes. The fool will probably come to me, and that means you will get your rematch with Diarmuid. I daresay, given Kayneth's attitude, he fights with less honour than Diarmuid. Iskandar said he would hold off on duelling with either you or Diarmuid until our battle was resolved. But I'm not sure what the other Masters will do."

Arturia, after a moment, said, "There is a concerning possibility. The Grail has given me some knowledge of the Heroic Spirits who may be fighting in this Grail War. And Medea's trump card is something we should be wary of."

"What is that?"

"Her Noble Phantasm: the Rule Breaker," Arturia said. "It is a ritual dagger that breaks magical contracts. In theory, she could steal a Servant from another Master and bind them to herself. But she would have to get in close to use it."

"Hmm. I think in future, I will be casting beneficial status effects on you, regardless of your foe," Kuja said. "You'll need every advantage you can get, especially if an enemy blindsides you while you are fighting Diarmuid. Remember, Kayneth was clearly not as principled as his Servant, and was about to use a Command Seal to force Diarmuid to help Berserker kill you. And few Magi would resist a chance to ambush distracted Servants by sending their own, especially Kiritsugu Emiya."

Arturia sighed in irritation, but nodded, conceding the point. "I still enjoyed my fight with Diarmuid. A rare warrior indeed. He very nearly got me with a trap, trying to lead me into believing he had but one Noble Phantasm."

"Still, your advertising your true name may yet have consequences. Remember how renowned you are, Arturia," Kuja said. "Of the Servants we know the identities of, you are easily the most famous. I would venture that Iskandar, under his more common name of Alexander the Great, would be second."

"It was Diarmuid who deduced her identity," Irisviel pointed out.

"Even so, in an exchange of names, I would give mine, if only for equity's sake, according to chivalry," Arturia said.

Kuja sighed in annoyance. "Arturia, not all of your enemies will be so forthcoming. It is only thanks to my Scan spells that I know the identities of the enemy Servants, barring Berserker. Your adherence to your code is annoying and admirable both. I think from this point on, until the later stages of this Grail War, we will stay here, and let the other Servants fight. Given our isolation, it is unlikely that more than one Master and Servant pair would assault us, though we should still be prepared for the possibility of an alliance. After all, those with any major knowledge of the Grail War will know that the von Einzberns provide the Lesser Grail, and they may seek to steal it and secure it. Tohsaka may even suspect that Iri is the Lesser Grail. However, they will most likely wait until a later stage before trying to obtain the Lesser Grail. Incidentally, Iri, how do you feel?"

"I feel well. Which means the Assassin you killed is not the last one. Then again, he is called the Hundred-Face Hassan. They must have multiple bodies."

"Given that Kirei Kotomine is seeking sanctuary at the church, but is still an active Master, can we not call them out?" Arturia asked.

"We have no proof to offer, and with the Overseer and Tohsaka in probable collusion, we may not be able to gainsay them," Kuja pointed out. "However, my killing of one of Assassin's bodies is a good warning in of itself: _I have not had the wool pulled over my eyes_. What's more, they don't know that we know who Archer is. The Magus Killer knows I know who his Servant is, and given what you told us about Medea and her Noble Phantasm, that is serendipitous."

Arturia nodded, the green-eyed young woman catching on. "Because they'll think we'll be on guard against Rule Breaker. Which means I am less desirable a target."

Kuja smiled at Arturia. "Of course. Still, that means we need to be careful, in case Medea does manage to get another Servant."

"I would venture either Diarmuid or Iskandar," Arturia mused. "The former more than the latter. It would be difficult for Medea to ambush Assassin in a way that she could use Rule Breaker. Gilgamesh, even if she did succeed, would be too wilful, partly because of his class' Independent Action, and partly his unmitigated arrogance. Berserker is allied to her via their Masters. It'd be easier for her to target Diarmuid, I believe. It would still be a risk, especially with Diarmuid's Gáe Dearg."

"That's the spear that negated your magic armour," Irisviel said. "Do you think it will affect Rule Breaker?"

"I know not, but any familiars Medea sets upon him can be easily dispatched this way. That being said, Diarmuid is a relatively low-risk target for a number of reasons. For all his skill, Lancers are known for their poor luck, and Medea will doubtless be as cunning a foe as her Master. That being said, Iskandar's Master would be a soft target, given that he appears to be a novice Magus. She would need to ambush him somehow."

"Well, Waver Velvet doesn't seem like much of a Magus, but his Servant seems loyal enough to him," Kuja remarked. "All of our Servant opponents are very dangerous indeed, and save for Waver and, given their lack of apparent control, Berserker's Master, the Masters are strong Magi. Thus, vigilance shall be a virtue. I am adding to the standing Bounded Field around this castle. As much as I know you would love to sally forth and smite our foes, Arturia, we are at an advantage here on home soil. Until we know that some of the competition has been thinned out a little, we will only venture from here when necessary. If they do attack here, we can let the enemy expend precious resources trying to break our defences, before counterattacking, rather like siege warfare in your time."

Arturia nodded. "Understood. But do you believe that they will come to us?"

Kuja chuckled. "Lord El-Melloi certainly will, with Diarmuid in tow. He promised a duel, and unless someone gets to him first, I think that is what will happen…"

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Kiritsugu and Kuja have discussed what has happened and their strategies with their allies. Hope you enjoyed.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Akuma-Heika** **: According to the Nasuverse wiki, Acht is a golem interface for what is basically the magecraft equivalent of an artificial intelligence.**

 **No numbered annotations for this chapter.**


	9. Chapter 8: Expiation

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **EXPIATION**

Arturia peered at the printout in Kuja's hands. "Are these reports from the familiars?"

"Yes. I helped Acht create autonomous Homunculi as familiars, albeit of animals like birds or rodents," Kuja said. "The information is relayed to a computer, and processed. Even select images can be obtained from the brains of these Homunculi animals. They are used as surveillance. It's how we first learned of Archer. They can even conceal their presence from both magical and mundane surveillance, a necessity when dealing with the Magus Killer." Kuja indicated a TV on a table. "You can even watch live feeds." He activated the TV, and flicked through the channels, until the view showed a young woman in a construction site. Kuja frowned when he saw her. "Well now…I believe that is the Magus Killer's partner in crime."

Arturia looked at the TV with a frown. "And she is…?"

"In all likelihood, Maiya Hisau, a frequent collaborator with Kiritsugu Emiya," Kuja said. "I believe she was rescued from a battlefield by Kiritsugu, and in gratitude, she became an assistant, collaborator, and, if the rumours are correct, lover. Rumour has it that she's even more of a machine than the Magus Killer."

Arturia nodded. Kuja and his Servant were in a makeshift operations room at the Einzbern Castle. It was early in the morning after their clash with Lancer, and after making love to Irisviel, Kuja had left his wife to sleep while he and Arturia planned. Kuja needed less sleep than a human, and Arturia, being a Servant, only slept to conserve mana if necessary. "I would pity her existence, but I too am guilty of divesting much of my humanity for my purpose."

"A pity, that," Kuja said. "Never forget that you are beautiful, Arturia, and not just because of your exquisite looks." He looked her in the eye. "Your resolve and determination are too. You are like a diamond, hard, unyielding, and yet utterly beautiful and radiant."

Arturia pursed her lips in irritation. "Are you trying to flatter me?"

"Flatter you, yes, but my flattery is sincere, at least in this case. You as a king should understand the value of keeping your comrades and soldiers' morale up." Kuja blinked, before he looked at the screen. "I believe that hotel she is looking at is the one Lord El-Melloi is staying at, according to the von Einzbern spies. So the Magus Killer intends to…hmm?" Kuja changed channels, and it showed the street, with a bunch of people coming out of the hotel. "It looks like an evacuation."

"An evacuation? Why?"

"In case of fire or a bomb threat," Kuja explained. "Except, given Maiya's presence…and this is the familiar attuned to Kiritsugu Emiya, so…ah, there he is. I think he's engineered this."

"For what reason? Does he intend to confront Lancer or his Master?"

"Not directly. Lord El-Melloi may be an arrogant fool, but he is far from an idiot. I don't doubt he has fortified his hotel room somehow by magical means. I think that the Magus Killer is about to cut the Gordian Knot, a somewhat appropriate metaphor, given we met Iskandar earlier tonight."

Arturia, after a moment, realised. "He's evacuating the other hotel guests. Lord El-Melloi may stay there, thinking that Emiya intends to confront him one-on-one, but the Magus Killer, being a pragmatist, may try to find a mundane way to kill his opponent. Perhaps by firing a rocket at the room…or maybe he intends to bring down the entire building. That option seems rather excessive."

"Perhaps, but quantity has a quality all of its own," Kuja mused. "Remember, he once shot down an airplane to prevent a worse disaster from occurring. This is a man the Magi both fear, and disdain."

"What do you feel towards him?" Arturia asked.

"Well, not fear as much as caution, even a respect of sorts, as I do respect pragmatism, even if it is rather gauche. He also amuses me to a degree. In a way, he is a little like you, from what I have learned. He is a man who discarded his own humanity in pursuit of his ideals."

"Even so, I respect honour and chivalry," Arturia said.

"I don't. Or rather, I don't follow such amusing ideals. And yet, you do not seem that troubled by being my Servant."

"It is less that I seem troubled, and more that, as much as there is much of you I disagree with, you at least are frank about it. I have the feeling that, though you are less than honest, you have been more honest with me than with anyone else, save for your wife. Your demeanour reminds me of so many cruel and sadistic men and women I have known in my life, but at the same time, I sense the desire in you to be better than you once were." Arturia looked at the screen in contemplation. "Many once vile men sought to join my court. I got used to being able to tell which ones were truly interested in redemption, or at least making themselves better. You are like them. You better yourself for your family's sake. And despite sneering at honour and chivalry, you allow me to follow them."

"Arturia…what ideals people choose to follow is their own choice. I don't subscribe to any banal idiocy of a deity or their morals. I know I was created. I wanted to become a god, to become the arbiter of life and death." After a moment, he confessed, "When I gained the power of a god…I learned I was mortal. My kind are normally immortal barring accidents, but my creator put a time limit on me. I did not take the news well."

Arturia frowned. "You killed many people."

"I killed an _entire world_ , Arturia. In my fury and anger, I decided that if I was to die, I was going to take all creation down with me. My homeworld, Terra, was the first to be destroyed. There were few living souls on Terra I killed…but there were many souls in storage, in stasis. Millions." Kuja smiled ruefully as he looked as his hands. " _Here's the smell of blood still_ ," he quoted from Shakespeare, that playwright so much like Lord Avon of Gaia. He was quoting Lady Macbeth's lines. " _All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand._ "

Arturia looked at him in shock. "You slew so many?"

Kuja chuckled. "Even before then, I was indirectly responsible for a war that ravaged an entire continent, Arturia. And not long after that, I wiped out the army of the very queen whose greed I had excited. And shortly thereafter, just prior to the coronation of her adopted daughter, I unleashed an Eidolon, a magical beast of extraordinary power, on the city she ruled over, killing hundreds. I intended to destroy the entire cosmos out of spite by attacking the Crystal of All Worlds, a manifestation of Akasha. How does one redeem one's self for such deeds? I am a blackguard, Arturia, of the sort you would gladly slay had I threatened Camelot, and yet here I am, your Master. Irony abounds."

Arturia stared at him in horror at his admission. Silence fell for quite a long time. Finally, she asked, "Does Irisviel know?"

"Yes. And the galling thing was, she forgave me for it," Kuja said. "That's partly my fault: I gave her personality and purpose, Arturia. I told you she was a work of mine, a sculpture to make beautiful. But…in making something beautiful, Arturia…I will never be redeemed. If there is a hell, I will be heading there when I die. If I ascend to the Throne of Heroes, it will not be because of my virtue but because of my infamy. Assuming the Throne can have those from other worlds." Kuja's eyes flickered over to Arturia. "You think me a monster, don't you?"

Arturia nodded mutely, not trusting herself to speak.

Kuja smiled sadly, before he looked at the screen again. "I told you the truth before, Arturia. I have no desire to conquer this world using the Grail. If I do use it for any other reason than to ensure Iri's survival, it will be to restore Terra to its prime. Terra, even before I destroyed it, was a revenant world, like a Dead Apostle in planetary form. Its crimes eclipsed my own. But in its prime, before it fell…" Kuja closed his eyes. "And if the Grail can't give me that, then I will merely live the life I have here, with my family. While I cannot say that I am wholly content, Arturia, Iri and Illya are my world. I would do anything and everything for them."

"Why tell me?" Arturia asked, almost plaintively.

"You value honesty, Arturia," Kuja said. "I have been honest with you. I am a cruel, sadistic man who has the blood of countless people on his hands. As I said, I am the sort of villain you would have slain had I threatened Camelot, and yet, I am your Master. So, I ask of you, Arturia Pendragon, how do you view that?"

The blonde woman looked away, looking at the screen, which had switched back to a view behind Maiya, looking at the hotel. Suddenly, the building being shown shuddered, and then imploded on itself. As it collapsed, Arturia finally admitted, "I cannot say that I am at all happy. Indeed, I am appalled. But I saw in you a desire for redemption, Kuja, and your frankness is oddly assuring, as is the love for your family. And in any case, you are my Master, and your actions in that role have been more than adequate. You will never be redeemed fully, but 'tis not meaningless to try. You cannot wash away such evils as you have done…but doing some good as penance, because you genuinely want to repent, I agree with. I am sworn to you in any case, Kuja, and as long as you do not have me performing or allowing any vile deeds, then I shall be able to cope with the knowledge of your crimes. In any case, it seems that the Magus Killer has made his move, though whether he has succeeded in killing Lancer and his Master is another matter."

"You want to fight Diarmuid again, don't you?"

"Aye. Do you object?"

"Not at all. My only exhortation is for you to win," Kuja said.

Arturia gave a grim smile. "Tis my every intention to do so." Her smile turned to a frown when they saw Maiya dive for cover as a long, bayonet-like blade impaled the floor where she had been. They then saw the form of Kirei Kotomine walk through. "What is he doing there?"

"I'll turn on the sound feed," Kuja murmured, reaching across and tweaking the volume.

"… _Let me stand here doing all the talking, woman_ ," Kirei said in a deep, eloquent tone. " _Where is the man I expected to be here in your stead?_ "

Arturia's frown deepened. "Does he mean the Magus Killer?"

"Possibly. Why does he want to face him, though?"

They watched as Kirei played a game of cat and mouse with Maiya, only for a smoke grenade to be thrown. They glimpsed Caster appearing in a swirl of robes to save Maiya. Then, when they re-attuned the familiar to focus on Kiritsugu, they saw the same thing happen to the Magus Killer.

"Hmm…I wonder…why did Kirei Kotomine go out by himself to confront Kiritsugu Emiya and his entourage?" Kuja mused.

Arturia nodded, her features perturbed. "That is a most pertinent question indeed. They faked the demise of Assassin, and Kirei sought sanctuary, but our suspicions on Assassin being alive were proven true earlier tonight. He could have used Assassin to attack these two. And yet, Kirei risks further suspicion by leaving sanctuary and attacking one of the more dangerous Masters and his assistant. True, his ability given what intelligence we found on him means he is equal to the task, but…"

"It's still a risk," Kuja concluded. "It may be that Kirei Kotomine has an interest in the Magus Killer. Why do you think that is?"

Arturia's frown deepened. "I know not. But that look…tis a rare look to his eyes, but a disturbing one all the same. And the files we have on him…a man with an extraordinary ability to learn, and yet, he has some strange lack of passion." Arturia then snapped her fingers. "I have it! A _raison d'etre!_ "

"A reason to live?" Kuja asked.

Arturia nodded. "I see parallels between his life and that of Kiritsugu Emiya. But from what we have seen, the Magus Killer is, if not content with his life, then at least resigned to it, whatever wish he has for the Grail aside. But the file we had suggests that Kirei is restless. And those eyes…there's an emptiness there. Nature, Merlin told me, abhors a vacuum."

"Then he is trying to fill a void in his heart, and he believes Kiritsugu might fill it," Kuja said with a smirk. "I wonder if the Magus Killer bats for both teams? Or perhaps he's in the closet, and Maiya is merely a beard."

Arturia blushed at the insinuation, though Kuja didn't know whether she was going to yell in annoyance, or laugh. In a way, Arturia did bat for both teams herself. Kuja had learned that Merlin had temporarily turned her into a man for Arturia's honeymoon with Guinevere (and somehow, Morgana got a sperm sample used to create Mordred), and Arturia also confessed that she was interested in a few men, but she couldn't, given her commitment to kingship and the perception that she was a man. Not to mention her own marriage to Guinevere.

Eventually, Arturia seemed to come to a decision, as she recovered. "Kuja. I know you do not subscribe to honour or chivalry. Indeed, you have made it blatantly clear that you hold such things in contempt. But I want you to swear an oath on the only things you hold dear in this world: Irisviel and Illyasviel. While I am bound to you as your Servant, I want your oath on their lives and wellbeing that you will not use the Grail for evil ends, that you will not commit any actions that I will have cause to regret allowing you to perform. I want you to swear that, for all your bloodstained past, you are sincerely trying to redeem yourself."

Kuja sighed. He should have expected something like this, though he half-expected her to turn on him and try to lop his head off with Excalibur. He admitted the truth of his past partly on a whim, but partly out of honesty. His true past would have come out, sooner or later. Better it had come out now, than at a point where Arturia could easily turn on him, Command Seals and chivalry be damned.

He had gone soft. Had this been on Gaia or Terra, he would have strung her along merrily with honeyed words, or else annihilated her with his magic. Irisiviel and Illya had changed him. Many would consider that for the better. The old Kuja would have considered that for the worse.

But then again, Kuja had learned empathy, had actually felt guilt. And while normally, he would have no trouble breaking an oath if it suited his purposes, he had no trouble swearing this oath either. Because he would do anything for his family, and, save for maybe underhanded tactics in this Grail War, he had no intention of slipping back into his more megalomaniacal habits. If he did manage to use the Grail to revive Terra, and rule over it, he didn't intend to do so in the manner he had originally intended to. Not through fear and destruction.

"I swear, Arturia, on the lives of my wife and child, that I will not use the Grail for such things," Kuja said solemnly. "But remember, Arturia, if it comes down to a choice between allowing my family to die, and forsaking the use of honourable methods to save them, I will choose to save my family every time."

Arturia searched his eyes with her own emerald orbs, before nodding. Not quite satisfied, but she seemed to want to let the matter rest for now. He didn't think it was wholly over: someone with Arturia's pride and amusing adherence to chivalry and fair play would probably not let this rest. But by getting this out in the open now, he would prevent a more dangerous rift between him and his Servant in future. The rift between them now, he hoped, could be healed.

He hoped, though, that it wouldn't come down to him forcing Arturia to obey him, or kill herself, with the Command Seals. After all, it would be a waste to kill such a beautiful being like herself. A waste indeed…

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Now, I know this chapter will be divisive, given how Kuja admitted his past to Arturia, but he did so to ensure that any problems between them were dealt with or minimised before he had to fight next. And Arturia doesn't like it. But on the other hand, she sees his genuine desire for redemption, and she understands him better. But she's still going to have doubts about him.**

 **These doubts will be addressed in the next chapter, where Arturia and Irisviel have a discussion about Kuja's character, while Kirei Kotomine contemplates Kuja and Kiritsugu.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Persistent Dreamer** **: While it's not going to happen, I'm sure Arturia and Garnet would have a lot to talk about.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


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